Returning to the paths of faith on Mount Athos

"What do I like about Mount Athos? The people, to begin with. There's the landscape, of course, which is unique. And the smells. Like the smell of the refectory, which I remember from my first visit as a child. The formality also fascinates me, the way things are done, the way the monks enter the church, and how they eat all together," says photographer Stratos Kalafatis, a regular visitor to the historic monastic community in northern Greece.

"The place has an energy and you can feel it whether you believe or not. I sometimes think that anyone who goes to Mount Athos will find what they're in need of. If it's God you're looking for, then you'll find Him."

Kalafatis found something different: the inspiration for an ambitious artistic project. Starting in 2008, he spent five years photographing the place and its people for "Athos: The Colors of Faith," which was...