Hilandar

The Hilandar Monastery (, HILL-lən-dər, Serbian: Манастир Хиландар, Manastir Hilandar, Greek: Μονή Χιλανδαρίου, romanized: Moni Chilandariou) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It is ranked fourth in the Athonite hierarchy of 20 sovereign monasteries. The monastery was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Nemanja (Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming) and his son Saint Sava. Saint Simeon was the former Grand Prince of Serbia (1166–1196) who upon relinquishing his throne took monastic vows and became an ordinary monk. He joined his son Saint Sava who was already in Mount Athos and who later became the first Archbishop of Serbia. Upon its foundation, the monastery became a focal point of the Serbian religious and cultural life, It was the first and oldest Serbian hospital and university. It is regarded as the historical Serbian monastery on Mount Athos, traditionally inhabited by Serbian Orthodox monks. It is one of the oldest Serbian Orthodox monasteries which has operated uninterruptedly since the Middle Ages. The Mother of God through her Icon of the Three Hands (Trojeručica) is considered the monastery's abbess. The monastery houses about 45 working monks.