«Indestructible cornerstone» of New Athos: the role of N. P. Ignatiev in the formation of spiritual and missionary center on the Caucasus

The article examines the role of the Russian ambassador to Constantinople (1864-1876) N.P. Ignatiev in the settlement of a major conflict on Mount Athos in the first half of the 1870s (the «Greek-Russian Panteleimon process»), as well as in the creation and development in the Caucasus (Abkhazia) of the New Athos Monastery of Saint Simon the Cananaean which is a branch of the Athos Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery. It is shown that the foundation of the Caucasian monastery was one of the natural results of the conflict caused by the aggravation of contradictions between different ethnic communities in St. Panteleimon Monastery in connection with the general rise of anti-Slavic and anti-Russian sentiments in the Greek environment due to Russia's position in the Greek-Bulgarian church issue, as well as to a certain extent in connection with the actions of the British diplomacy that sought to weaken Russian influence in the Balkans and the Middle East. It is shown that largely due to the actions of N.P. Ignatiev Russia managed to preserve the integrity of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery, avoid a break with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and even strengthen its position on Mount Athos. The origin and development of the Caucasian monastery, its situation during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the spiritual life and missionary activity of the New Athonite monks are studied. It is emphasized that the New Athos Monastery, having emerged as a supposed «refuge» for Russian Athonians in the event of new troubles in the East, soon turned into a pearl of the Black Sea coast, a major spiritual and missionary center in the south of the Russian Empire.

N.P. Ignatiev, athos, New Athos, caucasus, Abkhazia, Athos Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon, New Athos Monastery of St. Simon the Cananaean, "Greek-Russian Panteleimon process", missionary work, Archimandrite Macarius (Sushkin), confessor Jerome (Solomentsov), Hieromonk Arseny (Minin), Hegumen Hieron (Vasiliev)