Vigla ( el, Βίγλα) is a settlement in
Mount Athos
Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...
. It is located at the southeastern edge of the Athos peninsula.
The settlement of Vigla on the southeastern tip of the Athonite peninsula is not to be confused with ''Megali Vigla'', a 510 metre-high peak within the Mount Athos monastic territory that is less than 1.5 km from the border with Greece.
Sites
The
Skete of Prodromos, which belongs to the
Great Lavra
The Monastery of Great Lavra ( el, Μονή Μεγίστης Λαύρας) is the first monastery built on Mount Athos. It is located on the southeastern foot of the Mount at an elevation of . The founding of the monastery in AD 963 by Athanasiu ...
, is located in Vigla.
The Cave of St.
Athanasius the Athonite
Athanasius the Athonite (c. 920 – c. 1003; el, Ἀθανάσιος ὁ Ἀθωνίτης), was a Byzantine monk who is considered the founder of the monastic community on the peninsula of Mount Athos; which has since evolved into the great ...
is located on the cliffside of Vigla.
The cave was also where Saint
Joseph the Hesychast
Saint Joseph the Hesychast ( el, Άγιος Ιωσήφ ο Ησυχαστής; born Francis Kottis, el, Φραγκίσκος Κόττης; Lefkes, Paros, February 12, 1897 – Mount Athos, August 15, 1959) was a Greek Orthodox monk and elder who ...
(born Francis Kottis) took the name Joseph as he meditated there.
[''The Holy Elder Joseph the Hesychast'', I.M. of Timios Prodromos Mesa Potamos, p. 23]
The Cave of the Birth of Jesus is also located in the Vigla area. Osios Theodoros lived there as an ascetic and hermit.
References
Populated places in Mount Athos
Great Lavra
{{CentralMacedonia-geo-stub