Prodromos (Goularas), Abbot of Great Lavra

Archimandrite Prodromos (Goularas) — Αρχιμανδρίτης Πρόδρομος (Γουλάρας) — has served as abbot of Great Lavra since 2000. Founded in 963 by Athanasios the Athonite, Great Lavra holds first place in the traditional order of precedence of the twenty ruling monasteries of Mount Athos. The Ecumenical Patriarchate identifies Prodromos as its abbot, while the Russian Orthodox Encyclopedia dates the beginning of his tenure to December 2000. ^{[1], [2]}

Series: Abbots and Hegoumens of Mount Athos — 1 of 20. Last updated: 8 November 2026.

Origins and entry into monastic life

Prodromos comes from Palaios Panteleimon in Pieria, on the slopes of Mount Olympus. Local reporting identifies his family name as Goularas and documents his continuing association with the village. On 27 July 2025, he presided at its celebration of Saint Panteleimon. The report establishes his village of origin, although it does not explicitly identify his birthplace. ^[3]

A contemporary account provides an approximate chronology of his early monastic life. Writing in the Heraklion newspaper Patris on 9 April 2011, Nikolaos Tsapakis, president of the local Friends of Mount Athos association, described introducing Prodromos at a religious gathering on 27 March that year. Tsapakis stated that he had served at Lavra for forty-two years, beginning at the age of twenty-two. These figures suggest arrival around 1969 and birth around 1947; neither should be treated as an independently confirmed date. ^[4]

His education, baptismal name and exact dates of tonsure and ordination have not been established in the published sources cited here.

Election and the monastery he inherited

Great Lavra returned to cenobitic organization in 1980. In this system, the brotherhood shares a common framework of worship, meals and administration under an abbot. Prodromos's reported arrival places his early monastic formation before that change. He therefore experienced both the preceding idiorrhythmic organization and the restored communal life. ^{[4], [5]}

The Orthodox Encyclopedia records the modern succession as Athanasios, Pavlos, Philippos and Prodromos. Philippos served from July 1998 until October 2000; Prodromos followed in December. His abbacy consequently represents a later phase of Lavra's cenobitic history, rather than the initiation of its restoration. ^[2]

His office involves a monastery with extensive dependencies, including the sketes of Saint Anne, Kavsokalyvia and the Romanian Prodromou, as well as numerous smaller monastic establishments. This gives the abbacy responsibilities extending beyond the community within Lavra's main enclosure. ^{[2], [5]}

Teaching and pastoral activity

Prodromos's public teaching is documented through parish appearances, lectures and recordings. The 2011 Heraklion address concerned the passage through the Cross to Easter. In October 2018, he spoke at the Dimitria celebrations in Agios Dimitrios, Attica, on Mary of Egypt as a model of repentance. A recording and a subsequent question-and-answer session were published by Pemptousia. These provide identifiable examples of his preaching on repentance and the ascetic life. ^{[4], [6]}

His pastoral appearances have included meetings with younger audiences. A report dated 27 March 2014 describes his preaching at Agia Sophia in Neo Psychiko, followed by a visit to the parish youth centre, where he discussed religious and contemporary questions with participants. ^[7]

In October 2026 he delivered a further Dimitria lecture, entitled “Ode to the Theotokos,” addressing the history and theological significance of the Akathist Hymn. ^[8]

Ecclesiastical and monastic affairs

Prodromos has acted publicly on behalf of the wider Athonite community. At the funeral of Aimilianos, former abbot of Simonopetra, in May 2019, he delivered an address conveying the message of the Holy Community. The recording was subsequently published by Pemptousia. ^[9]

A published excerpt attributed to his welcome address to Patriarch Bartholomew at Great Lavra on 28 May 2022 combines recognition of the patriarch's protective role with an emphasis on Athonite concern for ecclesiastical order and precision in Orthodox belief. The excerpt documents those themes; it does not establish a comprehensive position on particular ecumenical dialogues or disputed ecclesiastical decisions. ^[10]

Relations with other Orthodox churches also form part of his public activity. During a September 2013 visit to Moldova, Metropolitan Vladimir awarded him the Order of Saint Paisius Velichkovsky. Prodromos presented a copy of Lavra's icon of the Virgin Koukouzelissa, and the published report includes his address to the metropolitan. ^[11]

Romanian Patriarchate records document his visit to Bucharest in July 2018 with Athanasios, superior of the Romanian Prodromou Skete. They participated in celebrations honouring the Prodromitissa icon and were received by Patriarch Daniel. Prodromos presented an icon of Athanasios the Athonite. In his published address, he discussed historical Romanian–Athonite relations and expressed support for completing Romania's National Cathedral. ^{[12], [13]}

The Skyros wind-energy dispute

During his abbacy, Great Lavra's involvement in proposed wind-energy development on southern Skyros became a sustained public controversy. In June 2007, Ta Nea reported plans for 111 turbines involving the monastery and the company ENTEKA. Residents, local associations and the municipality raised concerns about landscape, wildlife and the island's distinctive horse population. The monastery and company argued that the project would provide renewable energy, employment and financial benefits without the environmental damage alleged by opponents. ^[14]

To Vima subsequently reported the monastery's legal representative defending the proposal as an environmentally preferable way of developing its property, in comparison with heavier forms of investment. The representative also disputed claims about wildlife and the project's visual impact. These were the monastery's stated arguments, rather than independently established environmental conclusions. ^[15]

The dispute continued through revised proposals. In July 2022, the Hellenic Ornithological Society opposed development on Mount Kochylas, emphasizing its protected status and ecological importance. In 2023, Efimerida ton Syntakton reported an adverse opinion from the Environment Ministry's Directorate of Natural Environment and Biodiversity on a later proposal, citing unresolved risks to protected birds and the integrity of the area. That opinion should not be confused with a final judicial determination. ^{[16], [17]}

The controversy belongs to the institutional history of Prodromos's tenure. The sources cited here do not establish his individual role in each commercial or administrative decision.

Chronology

Sources

Sources were consulted on 8 November 2026. Undated institutional pages are identified as such. References distinguish institutional records, contemporary reporting and an excerpted address.

1. Ecumenical Patriarchate. Mount Athos: monastery directory. Undated, Greek.
2. Orthodox Encyclopedia. “Great Lavra”, vol. VII, pp. 380–404; online publication 5 December 2009. Russian. Includes the modern succession of abbots.
3. Odigos Pierias. Celebration of Saint Panteleimon at Palaios Panteleimon, 27 July 2025. Greek.
4. Nikolaos Tsapakis. “A journey through the Cross and Resurrection towards Easter”, Patris, 9 April 2011. Greek. Contemporary account of the event of 27 March 2011.
5. Centre for the Preservation of Athonite Heritage (KEDAK). Great Lavra. Undated institutional profile, Greek.
6. Pemptousia. Mary of Egypt as a model of repentance. Recording of the lecture delivered 12 October 2018. Greek.
7. Catichisi. Visit to the young people of Agia Sophia, Neo Psychiko, 27 March 2014. Greek.
8. Romfea. Dimitria 2026: Prodromos's lecture. Report of the event of 20 October 2026. Greek.
9. Pemptousia. Prodromos's funeral address for Aimilianos, republished 10 May 2020. Greek.
10. Agioritikos Logos. Excerpt from the address to Patriarch Bartholomew at Great Lavra, 28 May 2022, posted 20 June 2022. Greek. An excerpt, not the complete address.
11. Diakonima. Metropolitan Vladimir honours the Abbot of Great Lavra, 16 September 2013. Greek; includes the abbot's address.
12. Aurelian Iftimiu, Basilica. Patriarch Daniel welcomes the Abbots of Great Lavra and Prodromos Skete, 13 July 2018. English; Romanian Patriarchate news agency.
13. Gheorghe Anghel, Basilica. Prodromos's address at the National Cathedral chapel, 12 July 2018. Romanian; includes his address.
14. Ta Nea. “Sacred… wind turbines”, 14 June 2007. Greek. Reports objections and the monastery's and company's position.
15. To Vima. “The dilemma of Skyros”, archive page dated 25 November 2008. Greek. Includes the monastery's legal representative's response.
16. Hellenic Ornithological Society. Statement opposing the Skyros wind-energy proposal, 25 July 2022. Greek.
17. Efimerida ton Syntakton. Environment Ministry's adverse opinion on the Skyros wind project, 2023. Greek.