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The monastery  of Kseropotamos, perhaps, is the oldest monastery in Mount Athos. Dedicated to the 40 Martyrs, it stands in the middle of the peninsula. It was formerly one of the richest monasteries, with fortune until the Iberian monastery and wild-chestnut forest.

The tradition mentions that it was made by Empress Poulcheria in 424 or Paul Kseropotamitis in 960 AD. As regards the determination of the monastery’s property wealth, it was determined by a struggle ... walking among the founder monks Athanasios and Paul, of Great Lavra and Kseropotamos respectively. In order to identify the estates that each monastery would possess, the monks agreed to start walking from the religious service until they met, and as much distance would each one cover, it would belong to his monastery. The monk Paul, however, started before the service, which he chanted ... en route! Having taken the lead, he met Athanasios in today's monastery of Saint Paul, covering the biggest distance.

Its heirlooms, many and unique, survived by at least four devastating fires in its history (the last of 1952 and 1972), which burned it out completely. Particular prosperity was in the 12th-13th centuries, but in the years of Frankish rule it began to decline.

The Monastery of Kseropotamos is certainly one of the most beautiful, with stone-foundations and its royal purple arches on the windows of the cells. From a distance, only the balconies, wooden constructions that extend the view of the Athonite infinity, can be distinguished. This infinite would also be measured by the monk Caesar with ruler the Mount Athos: for this and all righteous you are called by everyone, garden and orchard of Virgin Despina (Mary)...

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