Special Lecture "Athos on the Holy Mountain: The Unknown World of the Orthodox Church and Orthodox Monasticism"

Event Details

Have you ever heard of Mount Athos?
It is a mysterious and very sacred place in Greece. It is a place where monastic life has been practiced since the Middle Ages.

We are pleased to welcome Fr. Timotheos (Mr. Takayuki Kozaki), a monk from the Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, who will give two special lectures. We will discuss life at the monastery, prayer, and the world of religious paintings called icons.

You don't have to know anything about the Orthodox Church. If you are interested in faith, religious art, or the deeper aspects of human life, please feel free to come and listen.

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[Session 1]
■Date: June 2, 2025 (10:30-12:00)
■Venue: Lecture Room 302, Human and Social Sciences Lecture Hall 1, Kakuma Campus, Kanazawa University
■Subject: What is Mt. Athos like?  — What it’s like to live in a monastery

Although often hidden from view by Catholics and Protestants, the Orthodox Church is also an important part of the long-standing Christian tradition. From "martyrdom," in which people gave their lives, to "monasticism," in which people lived a life of prayer and labor, the Orthodox Church's history has continued from the Egyptian desert to Mount Athos. In this lecture, we will trace this historical flow and introduce the daily life and prayers at the Iviron Monastery.

[Session 2]
■Date: June 3, 2025 (16:30-18:00)
■Venue:  Lecture Room 203, Human and Social Sciences Lecture Hall 1, Kakuma Campus, Kanazawa University
■Subject: Orthodoxy, Athos, Icons — The World of Icons as Told by Monks

Mount Athos is called the "Garden of the Most Holy Virgin Mary" and all the monasteries are believed to be under her care. The icon of "Porta Itysa" from the Iviron Monastery is said to have miraculously appeared across the sea and is the guardian of the whole of Athos. In this lecture, I will discuss the meaning of icons in the Orthodox Church, their relationship to prayer, and the difference between icons and Western art, what is spiritual "copying," using this mystical icon as a clue.

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■Lecturer: Rev. Takayuki Kosaki Timotheos (Monk, Iviron Monastery, Mt. Athos)
■Target: Everyone is welcome to attend. (No application required. In-person attendance only.)

We look forward to your attendance.

Contact

Associate Professor Hirofumi Sugawara from Institute of Human and Social Sciences Faculty of Humanities　　 E-mail: h.suga0616(a)staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp *Replace (a) with @.