History of the Monastery
The Holy Monastery of Saint Panteleimon was built in 1760 on the coast between Dafni and the H.M. of Xenophontos.
Funds for the monastery’s construction were provided by the Phanariote ruler of Moldavia, Skarlatos Kallimachi. The monastery was named the «Authentic Coenobium of the Kallimachis.»
The monastery was repopulated by monks from the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon «tou Thessalonikeos,» who subsequently moved into new dwellings.
The Monastery of Saint Panteleimon «tou Thessalonikeos,» also called «Palaiomonastiro» (the ancient monastery), was founded by a monk from Thessaloniki in the 10th century. It is found at a distance of about one hour by foot, north of the new monastery.
The first Russian monks arrived in 1840. In 1875, under questionable canonical circumstances, the Russian hieromonk Makarios assumed the Abbacy of the monastery. During this period many Russian monks came and dwelt in the monastery and the Divine Services of the Church were said in both Greek and Russian. The monastery assumed the name «Russikon.»
In the bell tower there exists the largest bell on Mount Athos, weighing in at 13 tons, with a diameter of 2.70 m.
The monastery has a rich library of Greek and Slavonic manuscripts and printed books.
The Sketes Bogoroditsa, Palaiomonastiro, Chromitsa and New Thebaide belong to the H.M. of Saint Panteleimon.
