The Monastery of the Annunciation, 1.5 km northeast of Vatopedi and 4 km from Ormylia, is the largest in Greece and with ecumenical radiation, accommodating 130 people, including 110 nuns and 20 priests, probed nuns, laborers and administrative strains. It is one of the many metropolises of Mount Athos in the region of Ormylia. It had the extent of the present village of Vatopedi, which after the expropriation of 1924 was given to the refugees where the homonymous village was built. Testimonies for the existence of Vatopedi metamotechios have been from the 12th century. The main building of 1903 was originally a small chapel devoted to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and a few small storages. In 1974, it was purchased from the Monastery of Simonos Petras and now, as a Simonopetriko metochi, is given for the establishment of the women’s brotherhood, which is under the guidance of the abbot Simonas Petras. Today, the Monastery is Stavropigiakos and Patriarchal and it has 120 nuns with the eldest daughter of Nicodemus. Today’s monastery, after renovating the old buildings, was expanded to meet the needs of this great brotherhood, maintaining with great respect the color of the Athonite tradition. The Katholikon is a Byzantine temple temple in which the visitor can admire mosaic floors crafted by the nuns, as well as famous wall paintings by the hagiographic group of the Monastery. It celebrates on March 25, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, and on July 22, St. Mary of Magdalene, who is considered the patron saint of the majestic Monastery Simonos Petras.
