On the trail between earth and heaven …we never hike alone!

FoMA member, Spiro Deligiannis, joined the September 2025 footpath pilgrimage to Mount Athos and gives an in sight in to his experience.

The numbers provide an impressive snapshot: a seven-day walking pilgrimage on the Holy Mountain, nine participants from six countries, 15 monasteries and three sketes visited, dozens of paths recce’d, scores of kilometers hiked, etc.  Yet the numbers fall far short of conveying the magnitude of experiencing Mt. Athos for a week (where each day seems like a week’s worth of activities), the depth of conversations carried on with monks, as well as enumerating the countless blessings received.

            The purpose of September’s Friends of Mt. Athos (FoMA) recce pilgrimage was to review the work done during the May footpath clearing pilgrimage, by meeting with monks from as many of the 20 monasteries as possible – and also from the larger sketes – to determine which trails/projects should be prioritised for next year.  However, in consciously carrying out that ‘secular practical’ goal, ‘spiritual productive’ work was also in play; while obvious at times, but ever so subtly acting upon each of us all the time!

           Be it the visual sights of beautiful landscapes dotted by fortress castle-like monasteries; the sounds of the monks’ angelic mesmerizing chanting or that of the distinct rhythmic striking of the semantron (a wooden plank) by a wooden mallet to signal the start of a service; and/or in addition to the smell of divine heavenly incense along with Lenten, yet tasty meals offered twice a day – one’s senses are heightened to an awareness of the spiritual realm that is present about us at all times, but rarely ever perceived.  This results in sound restful sleep (in spite of snoring roommates), a deeper appreciation of the beauty of God’s creation (even with worldwide political strife, regional armed conflicts, global economic uncertainty, etc.) and a heartfelt thanksgiving for all, as matters we take for granted in everyday life, on the Holy Mountain are truly appreciated as blessings from God (health, family, home, etc.).

            More so, Mt. Athos affects a pilgrim well beyond their physical senses working much more in sync and their sharpened cognitive abilities. Akin to how dark energy and dark matter account for 95% of the universe, whereas only 5% is normal, visible matter, on the Holy Mountain, one is acutely aware there is so much more that lies beyond the veil, although at peace with one’s inability to grasp what that is. That insight to knowledge of the unknown – be it simple, yet spot on guidance a monk provides or perhaps via deeper personal prayer than one is able to achieve back home – defies explanation, and the more one delves into to trying to ascertain it, the more one is cognizant there is much more going on internally in their heart and soul.

            The simple answer is a perceived presence of the Holy Spirit. More so, the profundity of that observation is the Holy Spirit is not limited to a location.  For while the recce pilgrimage objective is to lay the groundwork for next year’s footpath clearing pilgrimage – in order to ensure pilgrims are able to walk from monasteries to sketes to cells across the entire peninsula of Mt. Athos – the realization is that although the Holy Mountain is on the trail between earth and heaven – wherever we are located, whatever struggles we have, whenever we are lonely – we never hike alone!