Hilandar

The Hilandar Monastery (/hˈɪləndər/, HEE-ləhn-dəhr, Serbian: Манастир Хиландар, romanized: 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 was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Nemanja (Saint Symeon) and his son Saint Sava. St. Symeon 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, as well as assumed the role of "the first Serbian university". It is ranked fourth in the Athonite hierarchy of 20 sovereign monasteries.

It is regarded as the historical Serbian monastery on Mount Athos, traditionally inhabited by Serbian Orthodox monks. The Mother of God through her Icon of the Three Hands (Trojeručica) is considered the monastery's abbess. The monastery contains about 45 working monks.