Page 99 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(2) (2024)

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wander from icon to icon’ (Lacarrière 1954, 12). is relative because even if he ‘barely knows how
Using the image via the choice of photographs to read and write (...), he has formed an image
and a refined text, Lacarrière opened in 1954 the of the unique world. (...) This strange geogra-
era of an intimate look at the Holy Mountain, phy, forged during his years of solitude, this na-
which would be corroborated not only by his fol- ive and tragic image of the world - a torn, absurd
lowing works but by a certain number of authors and inhuman world - reinforces him in the idea
including François Augiéras in the form of a rea- that men are crazy, that all history is nonsense,
sonably autobiographical novel and Jean Biès that wisdom and peace reign only in Athos. (...)
through questioning of faith and a questioning No real trip to Athos could do without a stay in
of ‘the sensitive world’ of which ‘even time no the land of hermits. There is the mystical heart of
longer depends on it (…) so much complexity in the mountain, the place of the most extreme and
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the calendar as in the ‘schedule’ ending ‘by mak- voluntary deprivation’ (Lacarrière 1975, 98–
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ing your head spin’ (Biès 1963, 26). 99). It is this transmission of the monks’ mysti- 99
cal quest that Lacarrière endeavors to convey to
The Relics his readers.
Brother Jean (born in 1947) articulates a guid- Conversely, Jean-Claude Larchet (born in
ing framework for understanding the pilgrim- 1949), a trained theologian, recounts his first pil-
age experience at Mount Athos, positing that grimage to Mount Athos in 1974, during which
‘the pilgrim comes, in general, to Mount Athos, he observed a significant ritual involving rel-
to venerate the relics, to accomplish a wish or ics. Following vespers, Father Cyril request-
participate in an important celebration: Easter, ed permission from Father Serge, a young Eng-
Christmas. He asks a few questions. (..) In mon- lish-speaking Russian hieromonk, to venerate
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asteries, he participates in the life of the monk’ ‘the most precious relic of the monastery: the
(Frère 1991, 67). venerable head of the great martyr and anargyri
In contrast, Jacques Lacarrière, in his re- Saint Panteleimon, which is kept in the church
nowned work L’Été grec, critiques the reverence dedicated to him.’ Larchet further emphasiz-
often afforded to the relics of monks, express- es the personal significance of this relic, noting,
ing a sense of disillusionment: he states that he ‘He is a saint that I particularly venerate because Perceptions of a ‘Journey to the Past’ in Some Viatical Stories at Mount Athos
is ‘sickened at the sight of these absurd remains,’ I was born on the day of his commemoration by
which, in his view, do not contribute to the mat- the Orthodox Church, and he is in a way my sec-
uration of the ‘adulthood’ (Lacarrière 1975, 92). ond patron and protector saint, after Saint John
For Lacarrière, true maturity is found in pursu- the Baptist, whose monastery also has a precious
ing the hermits who sought solace in the deso- relic that I have the privilege of venerating (be-
late landscapes surrounding the Prodromos cause I am the only pilgrim in the monastery to-
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Skete. His encounter with the hermit Gabriel il- day)’ (Larchet 2022, 32).
lustrates that the perceived ignorance of monks 46 ‘ sait tout juste lire et écrire (...), il s’est fait une image du
monde bien singulière. (...) Cette étrange géographie,
43 ‘Après quoi vient la nuit. On s’éveille, tout s’ébranle, on forgée au cours de ses années de solitude, cette image naïve
surprend dans le noir des sortes de ballets: les moines et et tragique du monde - un monde déchiré, absurde et inhu-
leurs ombres qui vacillent dans les couloirs, qui s’age- main - le confortent dans l’idée que les hommes sont fous,
nouillent dans l’église, prodiguent les baisers à la Vierge, que toute l’histoire est un non-sens, que la sagesse et que la
au Christ et aux saints, se promènent d’icônes en icônes.’ paix ne règnent qu’à l’Athos. (...) Aucun véritable voyage à
44 ‘du monde sensible » dont « même le temps n’en dépend l’Athos ne saurait se passer d’un séjour au pays des ermites.
plus », « tant de complexité dans le calendrier comme Là est le cœur mystique de la montagne, le lieu des plus ex-
dans l’horaire » finissant « par faire tourner la tête’ trêmes et volontaires dénuements.’
45 ‘le pèlerin vient, en général, au Mont Athos, pour vénérer 47 ‘C’est un saint que je vénère particulièrement car je suis né
les reliques, pour accomplir un vœu ou participer à une le jour de sa commémoration par l’Eglise orthodoxe et il
fête importante: Pâques, Noël. Il pose peu de questions. (..) est en quelque sorte mon second saint patron et protecteur,
Dans les monastères, il participe à la vie du moine.’ après saint Jean-Baptiste, dont le monastère possède une