In the male-only Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, better known as Mount Athos, Stephen Hoare found a life of contemplation, work and worship offering a haven in a troubled world

The ferry has disembarked its passengers, and on the steep path up to the monastery of St Pavlou groups of pilgrims chat about their journey and what has drawn them to Mount Athos, a mountain in north-eastern Greece on a thin peninsula jutting out into the Aegean Sea.

A friend and I have decided to make a pilgrimage to discover something about Christian faith and to immerse ourselves in the monastic way of life. The fact that we are from London and are Church of England makes us a focus of interest. “What brought you to Mount Athos?” “Can I take a selfie with you?” are frequent questions, to which the answer is “God” and “yes, of course!”

A group of Greek monks persuade us to pose for a group photo. We meet a Russian monk who tells us about his youth ministry in Moscow; we are introduced to the fundamentals of Orthodox worship by Andreas, a newly retired IT consultant from Athens; and we share a packet of nuts and ginger biscuits with a group of students.