Evangelismos - Chapel of the Annunciation | Kaikkien Athosvuoren Pyhien Perintösäätiö

The Chapel of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (Evangelismos)

The icons and frescoes of the chapel of Evangelismos are the work of many peoples' love towards God.

The icons of the iconostasis and the royal doors were painted by Mrs Eeva-Maria Laaksonen from Hämeenlinna. The prototypes of the icons are from the Athonite monastery of Stavronikita. The royal doors (“the beautiful doors”) were made in Greece and their model is from the Athonite monastery of Vatopedi, which is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos.

The main icon the Chapel is Panagia Portaitissa (Gate-keeper). The icon is a copy of the most famous Athonite, miracle-working icon, which is situated in the Holy Monastery of Iveron on Mount Athos. The copy was painted by an Athonite hieromonk Joseph of the Holy Skete of Saints Andrew the First-Called and Anthony the Great (Serai). It was blessed by placing it in front of the original icon on the Holy Mountain.

On the walls, near the ceiling, are eight scenes depiting the life of the Most Holy Theotokos. They were painted by two iconographers from the city of Oulu, Mrs Heljä-Marja Surcel and Mrs Meeri Kurola. The frescoes inside the altar depict Jesus Christ with His Most Holy Mother, the Theotokos, and Church Fathers. They were painted by Katerina Kovrigina.

The frescoes situated in the pilars in the chapel were painted by Demetrios Vernezos from the island of Evia in Greece. There are frescoes of Christ, the Panagia, Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia, Saint John the Russian, Saint Paisios the Athonite, Saint Porphyrios of Kausokalivia, Saint Cosmas of Aetolia, Saint Sophrony of Essex, Saint Nectarios of Aegina, Saint Iakovos of Evia, Saint Siluan the Athonite, Saint Justin of Celije, Saint Georgios of Drama, Saint Gabriel of Georgia, Saint Seraphim of Sarov and Saint John of Valaam. New frescoes arrived in 2026 and they include: Saint John the Wonderworker of Shanghai, Saint Joseph the Hesychast, Saint Paisi Velichkovsky and Saint Gerasimos the Hymnographer.

The chapel also houses many icons on its walls, like those of holy male and female martyrs of the first centuries, and a few mosaic icons decorate also its' windows.

Almost all the daily (lay) services - matins and vespers - are held in the chapel with the exception of Sunday evening's vespers which is usually at the Chapel of Saint Cosmas.

The Church of the Annunciation, Evangelismos, was consecrated chapel by Metropolitan Ambrosius of Helsinki in 2017.