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Consecration and consecration for the beginning of the harvest at the Holy Monastery of Hilandaritranslated

August 20, 2026 · 1 min read

Today, August 20, 2026, a prayer for the successful start of this year's harvest was held at the Holy Monastery of Hilandari on Mount Athos. After the prayer, a Consecration took place in the vineyards and winery of the Monastery, which is located right on the coast of the Athos peninsula and continues a centuries-old monastic tradition of viticulture and wine production, connecting spirituality with the Holy Land.

In the vineyards of the Monastery, the Chilandari monks cultivate with particular care the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varieties, from which high quality red and rosé wines are produced.

Viticulture and wine production are a tradition linked throughout time to the monasteries of Agioreitis. Wine is used in the Divine Worship, while, according to the monastic Standard, it is also offered on the designated days in the monastic bank.

The blessing of the beginning of the harvest is, therefore, a special moment of thanksgiving to God the Giver for the fruits of the earth, as well as for the success of the work of the monks, who after zeal and care serve the tradition of viticulture and winemaking.

The post Consecration and sanctification...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (3) 🌐 Show original

Anca Tudor

I am glad to see that in Hilandar they started the harvest with prayer and agheasam right on the seashore. Merlot and Cabernet Franc on that holy land must produce a very special wine. May God give them good fruit this year!

Vasile Constantinescu

I'm glad too, Anca, especially since Hilandar has been keeping this tradition for centuries right next to the sea. I once tasted a Cabernet of theirs at a table in Munte and it seemed denser than what is made here. May God keep their lives clean this year.

Mihai Nistor

I'm glad too, Anca, especially since that gathering on the seashore at Hilandar is a custom that I've also seen in smaller monasteries here. Last year I opened a bottle of their Merlot at a Lenten meal and found it to taste more earthy, like warm stone. Do you think it's worth letting it rest in the bottle longer or should we drink it young?