The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

What is Mount Athos like during Holy Week?

1 h 58 min · 30. apr. 2026
episode What is Mount Athos like during Holy Week? cover

Description

Dr. Jacobs returns to the podcast with a personal update on his time away, news about the upcoming East West Series, and reflections from Holy Week, Pascha, and Bright Week on Mount Athos. In this episode, he shares stories from Vatopedi Monastery, discusses miracles, relics, and monastic life, and offers insight into how these experiences challenge modern skepticism and deepen faith. Support the East West series: http://theeastwestseries.com/ Leave a comment on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIZVUy5v32M Breakwater Festival 2026 | 19–21 June | London: I’ll be speaking at Breakwater Festival 2026, a 3-day Estuary gathering focused on bringing online conversations into real-life dialogue and connection. This year’s theme, Cross Pollination: Conversing Across Religious Lines, explores how beliefs engage across difference in a pluralistic world. Join me and other speakers in London — Early Bird tickets are available now: https://www.thebreakwaternetwork.com/upcoming-event Chapters: 00:00 I'm back 00:13 Why I disappeared for Lent and Mount Athos 02:33 What this episode covers 03:00 East West Series update 04:53 Production timeline and release plan 05:54 Fundraising and pre-orders 07:16 Why the East West Series matters 09:35 Who the series is for: converts, inquirers, and online debate 11:45 Vatopedi Monastery endorsement announcement 14:05 Podcast facelift and rebrand 16:25 New 30-minute “Coffee with Dr. Jacobs” episodes 21:07 Topic requests, comments, and sharing 23:30 Website simplification and one-stop hub 24:20 Mount Athos reflections begin 25:45 Third trip to Mount Athos and Holy Week overview 28:05 Visiting Elder Paisios’ hermitage 30:32 Other monasteries and the capital of Athos 32:55 Daily monastic rhythm: Matins, Vespers, and Compline 35:19 Holy Week, Pascha, and the intensity of Athos 37:41 The washing of the feet service 40:09 Pascha procession and the all-night liturgy 42:31 Holy Week exhaustion and conversations with monks 45:00 Bright Week procession and blessing of the waters 47:25 Pizza on Mount Athos 49:48 Relics, miracles, and confronting modern skepticism 54:29 The Belt of the Virgin Mary 56:49 The True Cross and miraculous yeast 59:16 St. John Chrysostom’s incorrupt ear 01:04:00 The Panagia Paramythia miracle icon 01:08:44 Skepticism, belief, and re-enchantment 01:13:26 Why skepticism feels safe 01:15:41 Belief, faith, and how we live 01:20:23 Why people chase the paranormal 01:24:59 Culture, plausibility, and belief 01:34:40 Cyprus, Lazarus, and his relics 01:39:23 Great Lavra, John the Baptist, and Athanasius the Athonite 01:44:17 The bullet hole icon story 01:46:42 The disobedient monk and the blackened hand 01:53:46 Why Mount Athos belongs to the Virgin Mary 01:56:15 Final thoughts and East West Series support Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to written essays, exclusive lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/ ====================================== All the links: The Theological Letters Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast Words for the algorithm: East West Series, Vatopedi, Mount Athos, Pascha, Holy Week, relics, miracles, church fathers, orthodoxy, monks.

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102 episodes

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episode Was The Virgin Mary Sinless? The Answer May Surprise Protestants artwork

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