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type=Cenobitic Monastery|
founded=~972 by St Pavlos Xeropotaminos; re-founded late 14th century|
superior=''unknownArchimandrite Parthenios''|size=91 41 (at 1990)|
location=West|
language=Greek|
feasts=[[February 2|Presentation of Christ]]|
}}
The '''Monastery of St. Paul''' is one of twenty monasteries on the [[Mount Athos]] peninsula and is located on the western foot of the peninsulaat the base of a spectacular cliff. It is thirteenth in hierarchical rank among the monasteries. The name of St. Paul is derived from the founder, St [[Pavlos Xeropotaminos]] (in English, Paul).
The [[monastery]] was founded in the tenth century by St Pavlos Xeropotaminos, and first mentioned in 972. A traditional rivalry with Great Lavra developed, evidently due to the controversies surrounding the advocacy of the 'super' monastery style by St. Athanasios of Great Lavra. After being founded, it is again mentioned in 1259; after the Catalan raids, St. Paul's was downgraded to a kellion, only to be raised again in the third quarter of the 1300s. Serbian rulers supported the monastery in the 1400s; after [[Fall of Constantinople|1453]], rulers of Eastern Europe supported the monastery.
Due to the various attacks around and near the [[Mount Athos|Holy Mountain]], St Paul's was partially destroyed many times. There was also a particularly destructive fire at the end of the 19th Century. Some of the buildings ,including the main Katholikon, that constitute the current monastery have been rebuilt, and all the buildings date from different periods of history.
The [[katholikon]] was built just before the tenth century in the Athonite style. The monastery has twelve chapels attached to it, most notably St. George's chapel, constructed painted in 1555, which is decorated by the monk Antonios in the Cretan style of [[iconography]]
In addition to many [[relic]]s, the monastery possesses treasures such as portable icons, heirlooms, liturgical vessels; it also , heirlooms--the crown and staff of the late Bishop Phillip of Atlanta was donated to St. Paul's. The monastery has a library of about 12,500 printed books and 494 manuscripts.
St. Paul's Monastery is the southwesternmost monastery on the Athos Peninsula. Although it is easier to reach by sea, it is the start of an important road that traverses the length of the peninsula to Karyes and beyond. I.M Dionysiou, Nea Skete and St. Anne Skete are all easily accessible by trail from St. Paul.
===Sketes===
Two sketes are attached to St. Paul's Monastery: [[New Skete (Athos)|New Skete]] and [[St. Dimitrius' Dimitri Lakko Skete (AthosRomanian)|St. Dimitrius' Skete]].
==External links==