Mount Athos
Mount Athos, often referred to as the "Holy Mountain," is an autonomous monastic state located in northeastern Greece, renowned for its collection of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. This isolated peninsula, which spans 130 square miles and features a prominent mountain rising to 6,670 feet, has been a center for ascetic monastic life since the fifth century. The area is governed by a unique administrative structure, the Iera Koinotita, composed of representatives from twenty monasteries, making it one of the longest-functioning parliaments in the world. Access to Mount Athos is highly restricted; women are prohibited from entering, as they may be seen as distractions to the monks, who are committed to a life of deep religious reflection and asceticism.
Each monastery is distinct, with its own traditions and religious focuses, attracting visitors primarily male, who can stay for a limited time. The region's history includes periods of prosperity and decline, with significant events such as the Ottoman rule and the impact of the Greek War of Independence. Today, Mount Athos is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and while the monasteries have received restoration support since Greece joined the European Union, there are ongoing debates regarding the preservation of their traditional practices amidst modern pressures. Approximately 2,000 monks, novices, and hermits reside here, contributing to the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of this unique community.
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is the site of a collection of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece. Called the "Holy Mountain," these monasteries are located on an isolated peninsula in northeastern Greece that is only accessible by boat. The residents of Mount Athos are ascetic monks who engage in devoted religious reflection that is far removed from the trappings of contemporary life. The monks of Mount Athos are called Athonites, and they are spread out among twenty different monasteries. Each monastery has its own traditions, characteristics, and religious focus. So that these monks may maintain their religious introspection without distraction, women are barred from entering the peninsula as they are regarded as potential temptations. Adult male visitors are allowed to visit on a limited basis.
Brief History
The mountain from which the area derives its name is 6,670 feet high and is situated on a 130 square foot peninsula that also shares the Mount Athos name. The area is named after Athos, a mythological Thracian giant who participated in a war between the Greek gods and giants. The mountain is said to be the remains of the immense boulder that Poseidon used to crush Athos, or alternately, the rock Athos tossed at Poseidon. The area was first mentioned in Homer's Iliad in the eighth century B.C.E., an era that greatly predates the monasteries. The region was sparsely populated with a scattering of small villages during this period.
According to legend, the peninsula was once visited by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist. Mary found the area to her liking and asked Jesus that it be offered to her. As a result, the peninsula is often called the "Garden of the Mother of God." It is believed that the first monks settled in the region in the fifth century, although the first account of their presence in Athos is not documented until the Orthodox Ecumenical Council records of 843.
The early monks lived primitively. Most were ascetic hermits who lived in small huts and survived off whatever food they could gather. Despite the lack of permanent settlements, the peninsula was subject to regular incursions by pirates and invaders. Nonetheless, due to its serenity, isolation, and beauty, Mount Athos established an early reputation as a center of monasticism. In 885, Emperor Basil I of Macedonia declared the area to be an exclusive zone for religious retreat. By 911, monks had spread all over the peninsula—a growth that necessitated increased oversight. The Protos of Mount Athos, who serves as the leader of all Athonites, is a position that is known to date from at least the early tenth century.
In 961, St. Athanasius the Athonite began the construction of the first monastery, the Great Lavra, which remains the largest of the Athonite monasteries and the highest ranking in the monastic hierarchy. The Mount Athos monasteries grew in size and prestige between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. Despite their isolation, the Athonites were attacked by Crusaders in the thirteenth century and sacked by Catalan mercenaries in the fourteenth century. By the end of the century, only thirty-five Athonite monks remained.
After the fall of the Byzantine Empire in the fifteenth century, the Athonites came under Ottoman control. The Ottomans were sympathetic to the Athonites and maintained their rights of property ownership through payments and taxes. By the eighteenth century, the monasteries were in severe economic distress. This forced them to move from a coenobitic system, in which monks lived through communal efforts, to an idiorrhythmic one, where monks survived through their own individual efforts.
Over the next few centuries, the fortunes of the Athonites rose and fell, but they endured. After the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the composition of Athonites began to change from a membership of primarily Greek origin to a pool of novices drawn from throughout Eastern Europe and Russia. By the twenty-first century, the monasteries had developed a distinct multinational character.
Governance and Character
Mount Athos is a self-governed region within Greece that is officially called the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain. It is administered by a committee called the Iera Koinotita (Holy Community) that consists of one representative from each of the twenty monasteries. The Iera Koinotita is the longest continually functioning parliament in the world. From among these representatives, they are governed by an executive committee of four monks called the Iera Epistasia (Holy Administrator). The Athonites are led by the Protos, who is elected to the position by the members of the Iera Koinotita. The civil interests of the Athonites are represented by a governor appointed by the Greek government. Both the administrator and the Iera Koinotita are stationed in the Athonite community of Karyes. This small village of two hundred people is also the location of the Protaton, which is the church administered by the Protos. Karyes is also home to the region's small police force and a small number of shops. Each monastery also has a set of affiliated subordinate communities, including small sketae (daughter houses) and cells for individual hermetic monks.
One hundred Orthodox men and ten non-Orthodox males are admitted to Mount Athos daily. These visitors are allowed to stay for three to four days as guests of the monasteries. The rule against females being allowed into Mount Athos, which has stood since the tenth century, even extends to the animal life. All domestic animals (with the exception of cats) must be male, meaning that Athonites must import all eggs and dairy products.
The character of every monastery is different, and each one is dedicated to a different Orthodox religious personage. For instance, the Konstamonitou monastery, which is dedicated to Saint Stephen, shuns the use of electricity, while the Vatopedi monastery, which is dedicated to the Mother of God, has a world-famous chorus. Approximately two thousand monks, novices, and hermits live on Mount Athos.
Topic Today
Greece's entrance into the European Union (EU) in 1981 made the various monasteries eligible for grants for restoration projects, and a number of sites have been engaged in extensive refurbishment projects. In 1988, the entire region was declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site.
In the twenty-first century, several of the monasteries have been involved in an ecumenical dispute with the head church, particularly the monks of Esphigmenou who have actively challenged the church's campaign to have increased communion with other religious bodies. The Athonites have also expressed concern that the EU may force Mount Athos to allow women into the region.
In 2024, a major police operation was initiated on Mount Athos. Hundreds of police officers attempted to expel 118 rebellious Orthodox monks from the Esphigmenou Monastery. The monks have existed in the location for over half a century, during which time they have been sanctioned and excommunicated by the Orthodox Church.
Bibliography
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Speake, Graham. Mount Athos: Renewal in Paradise. 2nd ed., Denise Harvey, 2014.
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"Why Are Women Banned from Mount Athos?" BBC, 27 May 2016, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36378690. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.