Phialai on Mount Athos : the Middle Byzantine origins of their use, form and location
Phialai on Mount Athos : the Middle Byzantine origins of their use, form and location

Summary/Abstract: Phialē is a water receptacle most commonly fashioned as a stone bowl and used for the Blessing of the Waters. On Mount Athos, it is customarily set within a baldachin-like kiosk, also called phialē, in the monastery’s yard. The oldest surviving such installation, at Vatopedi, dates to the mid-14th century. The phialē at Great Lavra, although constructed in 1635, most probably replaces and reproduces the original one from 1060. Therefore, an outdoor phialē seems to have been a standard feature of an Athonite monastery complex from the very beginning. The paper examines the phialē’s notable location in the area between the church’s entrance and the refectory, some elements of its design, and the outdoor position in relation to the supply of running water. Beyond these technical reasons, some functional (liturgical), symbolical (theological), and historical aspects are also discussed as likely factors contributing to the concept and use of this architectural feature in the Middle Byzantine period.

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