Patapios monk of Kausokalyvia, Librarian of Holy Skete of Kausokalyvia, M. Th.,
The Paleologean Byzantine period in the Skete of Kausokalyvia at Mount Athos. One first approach to history and art.
The Skete of Holy Trinity of Kausokalyvia, as an organised monastic settlement, was founded at the beginning of 18th century by Saint Akakios of Kausokalyvia (1630-1730). But systematical habitation of the area seems to be happening from the beginning of 14th century. From the biography of Saint Maximos of Kausokalyvia (approximately 1270-1365) we are informed about the presence of monks in the wider area and the surrounding hillock at the feet of Athos.
During the same century, the sources inform us about an organised monastic life in the area of today's Saint Neilos and Kria Nera with the cell of Saint Antony blossoming as Greek and Slavs monks lived together during the period of Hesychasme dispute of the 14th century, while simultaneously a bibliographical laboratory was working.
In the main temple (Kyriakon) of Kausokalyvia we find five portable icons of paleologean art and era. The five icons show Jesus Pantocrator and Theotokos Eleousa, works of the period of 12th - 14th centuries, The Second Coming, St John Chrisostome and Virgin Mary among Angels (an icon wich is considered to be work of a Constantinople workshop) while in the cell of Saint Panteleimon there is an icon of exquisite art of All Saints (14th century). In the cell of Saint Antony an exquisite fragment of a mural of 14th century is saved with the head of St Antony. Portable icons of the same period from the icon screen of the same temple are kept in the Megisti Lavra. The most remarkable possibly of these is the icon of Saint Antony on throne with scenes from his life and Saint Athanasios of Athos. The latter is believed to be one of the most ancient icons of the founder of Megisti Lavra.
There is also a reference in the byzantine manuscripts wich are kept in the Library of the Kyriakon of Kausokalyvia. The most remarkable of these –which is also the most ancient heirloom of the Skete– is the parchment codex 1. This valuable codex, which in its 361 sheets includes 31 Speeches and Orations of St John Chrisostomos, was written by Ignatius the postulant writer at the Megisti Lavra when Jeronimus was father superior in the 11 th century. The other Byzantine manuscripts are the parchment codex of the 10th - 11th century with the Letter to the Jews from Apostole Paul, the also parchment codex 3 of the 11th century with the festive Speeches of the Fathers of Church, the paper codex 4 of the 14th century with Letters and the Acts of the Apostoles of the year 1322 while the codexes 5 and 6, which include Festive Speeches and Orations, codex 7 with the Speeches of Saint Efraim the Syrian and codex 8 which is a Parakletike are all of the 15th century.
Finally, in this treatise, we publish for the first time from codexes 107 and 234 of Kausokalyvia, the unpublished eight tones (octoechus) canons in honour of Saint Antony the Great, poem of hymnographer Antony monk of the Megisti Lavra. The piece of work was composed in 1324 for the liturgical needs of the cell of Saint Antony after a request of hieromonk Athanasios of Lavra.
