"The Ways of the Holy Mountain. The Views of Mount Athos Made from Life", the photo works of hieromonch Sabbatius, has been published as an album book. The author has introduced his work of many years at the presentation in Moscow's "Fotocenter" February 13, 2018 . The publication of the book became possible due to the support of Naslediye Charity Fund and Sobranie Fund for Support and Preservation of Cultural Initiatives.

Father Sabbatius, who was making photos of the Holy Mountain for more than 18 months, uses only classical photo techniques. In the age of new technologies he makes photos using format cameras with large tripods and silver plates, as photos used to be made as far back as at the end of the 19th century – beginning of the 20th century. The photos are mainly monochromatic. The author believes that exactly such photos create a special atmosphere and allow to focus on the view.

The works of Father Sabbatius included into the album have already been exhibited in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Belgorod and Satka, as well as in France and Italy.

The album book consists of three parts. The first part tells about the history of the Holy Mountain, which has been a monk republic with its own Charter, traditions and unwritten rules for more than 15 centuries. Nowadays, there are 20 monasteries on Athos, including Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon.

According to Father Sabbatius, all ways of monk life can be found here: from coenobies to small monasteries and cells, there are anachorets and mendicant friars.

The second part of the book includes the essays of pilgrimage on Mount Athos, the special place of warship for Orthodox Christians. According to the legend, the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, visited Athos. These essays, like the ancient narrative traditions, tell about cells of the Holy Mountain, about poustinias, about unexpected meetings with the Athonites.

The photos made in daguerreotype technique form the third part. 

“Written and photographed not to gain praise or honour of this vain world, but to honour and glorify the name of my Holy God, glorified and honoured in the Trinity, his dignified sons and workers,” wrote the author in the preface to the album.