Mt. Athos, October 8, 2026
Photo: westsrbdio.org
His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America led parishioners of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in San Gabriel, California, on a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain last month, including a two-day stay at the Serbian monastery Hilandar.
Altogether, the group visited 11 monasteries—nine on the Holy Mountain and two in Greece. The pilgrims also stopped at the Church of St. Demetrios in Thessaloniki, where the relics of the Great Martyr are venerated, the Serbian Western American Diocese reports.
“Owing to the profound respect and love that His Grace Bishop Maxim enjoys throughout Mount Athos, our group was everywhere received with particular warmth and affection,” the account says. The pilgrims met a number of prominent elders and abbots and received spiritual counsel from them.
Photo: westsrbdio.org
The group visited Simonopetra and Vatopedi, meeting with Abbot Ephraim of the former, who spoke about his recent trip to Serbia, during which the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos was brought to the country.
In Karyes, the administrative and spiritual center of Mt. Athos, the group was officially received by the Protos of the Holy Mountain and the Holy Epistasia.
The pilgrims also visited the monasteries of Xeropotamou, Koutloumousiou, Iviron, Vatopedi, Stavronikita, Pantokrator and Xenophontos before arriving at Hilandar, which was founded by St. Sava and his father, St. Simeon the Myrrh-streaming.
“For us, as Orthodox Serbs, our arrival at Hilandar was a particularly profound and deeply moving moment,” the report says. The pilgrims stayed at the monastery for two days and took part in the divine services presided over by Bishop Maxim.
Photo: westsrbdio.org
At Vatopedi, where St. Sava built six churches and chapels and a great tower, Bishop Maxim and Fr. Predrag were invited to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, which was built by St. Sava.
On September 16, Bishop Maxim also took part in the one-year memorial service for Archimandrite Vasilios (Gontikakis), a renowned elder, spiritual father and author of numerous books on Orthodox spirituality.
“From the Holy Mountain, we return with hearts filled with gratitude to God, strengthened by the prayers and spiritual counsel we received, and with a renewed desire to bring the blessings of the Holy Mountain into the life of our parish and our families,” the report states.
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