Brotherhood trapeze

As in monasteries in general, the Valamo brotherhood dines together around a common table. Shared mealtimes are considered part of the brotherhood's spiritual life and traditional monastic customs are still followed. For example, during lunch, the biographies of saints are read in the brotherhood's dining room, or trapeze. Otherwise, meals are served in silence.

The brotherhood's current trapeze was completed in 1992. Its vaulted ceiling was designed by architect Sakari Siitonen and the mica slate windows by artist Viktor Tatarenko. The beautiful murals in the trapeze, mostly depicting Karelian saints, were painted by Archimandrite Zino, who competed in the Pskov Petseri Monastery.

The beautiful trapeze of the Valamo brotherhood is a rarity, as monastery trapezes decorated in a similar way can only be seen in Greece and the Balkans, apart from Valamo. The brotherhood's trapeze is not open to the public.