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Mount Athos

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[[Image:Athos.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Mount Athos as seen from the ridge road]]
'''Mount Athos''' is a mountain and a peninsula in Macedonia, northern Greece, called <font lang="el">&#902;&#947;&#953;&#959; &#908;&#961;&#959;&#962;</font> (''Ayio Oros'' or "Holy Mountain") in Modern Greek, or <font lang="el">&#x1F0D;&#947;&#953;&#959;&#957; &#x1F4C;&#961;&#959;&#962;</font> (''Hagion Oros'') in Classical Greek. It is home to 20 [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] [[monastery|monasteries]] and forms an autonomous state under Greek sovereignty. Only [[monasticism|monks]] are allowed to live establish permanent residency on Athos and the current population numbers around 1,400. The peninsula, the easternmost "leg" of the larger Chalkidiki peninsula, protrudes into the Aegean Sea for some 60 km at a width between 7 to 12 km and covers an area of about 390 km&sup2;, with the actual mountain and its steep, densely forested slopes reaching up to 2,033 m.
The seas around the end of the peninsula can be dangerous. Xerxes I had a channel excavated across the isthmus to allow the passage of his invasion fleet in 483 BC.
Mount Athos as a monastic community was formally founded in 963, when St. [[Athanasius of Athos|Athanasius]] (not to be confused with the 4th century St. [[Athanasius the Great]]) established the monastery of [[Great Lavra (Athos)|Great Lavra]], still the largest and most prominent of the 20 monasteries. It enjoyed the protection of the emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire during the following centuries and its wealth and possessions grew considerably. The [[Fourth Crusade]] in the 13th century brought new [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] overlords which forced the monks to seek protection from Pope Innocent III, until the restoration of the Byzantine Empire. It was raided by Catalan mercenaries in the 14th century, a century that also saw the theological conflict over the [[hesychasm]] practised on Mount Athos and defended by [[Gregory Palamas]].
The Byzantine Empire collapsed in the 15th century and the newly established [[Islam|Islamic]] Ottoman Empire took over. They heavily taxed the monasteries, but for the most part left them alone. The population of monks and their wealth declined over the next centuries, but was revitalised revitalized around the 19th century by the donations and new arrivals from other Orthodox countries, such as Russia, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia, while each country came to exert its influence on individual monasteries. In 1912, during the First Balkan War, the Ottomans were forced out and after a brief conflict between Greece and Russia over sovereignty, the peninsula formally came under Greek sovereignty after World War I.
Politically the peninsula is mostly self-governed and consists of 20 main monasteries and the capital city and administrative centrecenter, [[Karyes (Athos)|Karyes]], also home to a governor as the representative of the Greek state. Beyond the monasteries there are 12 ''[[skete|sketae]]'', smaller which are dependent communities of monksa monastery, as well as many (solitary) hermitages throughout the peninsula. Visits to the peninsula are possible for laymen, but they need [http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/pages/agionoros/pilgrims_info.en.html special permission].
Women are completely barred from the peninsula, a fact which has earned a certain amount of fame; even female domestic animals (with the exception, some say, of cats, as well as chickens which lay eggs that provide the fresh egg yolk needed for the paint used in [[iconography]]) are forbidden. However, during the Greek Civil War, Athos did shelter refugees including women and girls. [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010209.html]The reason for the ban are various miracles of the Mother of God when she shown her desire in this matter and, also, a canon forbidding male visitors to enter female monasteries, and female visitors to male monasteries. While not observed in most monasteries today, Athos is by no means unique in its enforcement of the rule. Unique to Athos is the fact that, due to the whole peninsula being devoted to the monastic vocation, the rule is observed also outside the monastery walls.
In modern times, the Mount Athos monasteries have repeatedly been struck by wildfires, e.g. in August 1990, and in March 2004, fire gutted a large section of the Serbian monastery, [[Chilandari Monastery (Athos)|Chilandari]]. Due to the secluded locations of the monasteries, often atop small hills, as well as the unavailability of suitable fire fighting gear, the damages inflicted by these fires are often considerable.
== Languages ==
Greek is commonly used in all Greek monasteries, but in some monasteries there are other languages in use, in [[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon]], Russian; in [[Chilandari Monastery (Athos)|Chilandari]], Serbian; in [[Zographou Monastery (Athos)|Zographou]], Bulgarian; and in the sketae of [[Prodromou Skete (Athos)|Prodromou]] and [[Lacu Skete (Athos)|Lacu]], Romanian. Today, many of the Greek monks can also understand English or other European languages.
 
== Pilgrims Info ==
Mount Athos, known in Greece as the Holy Mountain, is a peninsula in [http://www.gohalkidiki.com/home_en.asp Halkidiki], north Greece containing 20 monasteries. Although the peninsula of Mount Athos is part of Greece, it enjoys certain autonomy. The region is governed by the "Holy community" under the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Only men are permitted to enter Mount Athos. The rule, known as the "ABATON", forbids access to Mount Athos by any female and is enforced by law. In accordance with the procedures established by the Holy Community foreigners must obtain a written permit to visit Mount Athos from the "Mount Athos Office"(Γραφείο Προσκυνητών Αγίου Όρους).
Pilgrims who arrange their reservations by phone should mail a copy of their passport to the office, and call two weeks before the date of the visit to confirm the reservation.
The Mount Athos Office is open: from Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00. The address is: 109 Str. Av. Egnatias – 54622 Thessalonica Greece. Tel.:0030-2310-252578 and fax: 0030-2310-222424.
Generally, the office issues only 10 permits per day for foreigner pilgrims and 110 for Greek orthodox pilgrims. Because of the small number of permits my advice is to contact the office well in advance. These permits are valid for a 4days stay in Mount Athos. Permits are issued to adult male pilgrims over the age of 18. Young males under 18 are permitted if they are accompanied by their father. Young men who are accompanied by an adult group leader visiting Mount Athos for educational reasons need the written consent of their parents, verified by an official authority of their country. Pilgrims can go to [http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/pages/ouranoupoli/info.en.html Ouranoupolis] by car or by bus. It is about 120km from the airport of Thessalonica. When pilgrims arrive in [http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/pages/ouranoupoli/info.en.html Ouranoupolis], the port where ferryboat depart to Mount Athos, must go to the "Mount Athos office for pilgrims" and take the diamonitirion (visitors permit). The pilgrim’s office is open every day including Saturdays and Sundays from 07:30. This permit is required upon boarding the ferryboat and also when pilgrims arrive at the monasteries. It costs €35. Students pay €18.
The ferryboat leaves at 09:45 from Ouranoupolis. We recommend to pilgrims to arrive in Ouranoupolis one day earlier if it possible. This ferryboat arrives in Mount Athos port of Dafni around 12:00. From Dafni you can take the bus to Karyes the capital of Mount Athos and from there to other monasteries. Pilgrims can move to Mount Athos with mini busses (mini bus tel.: 0030-23770-23266 and fax: 0030-23770-23879)
There is also a ferryboat that departs from Ouranoupolis port at 06:30 ([http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/pages/agionoros/ferry_info.en.html ex. Sat/Sun-see Mount Athos ferry timetable]) F.B. "Agia Anna". In this case the pilgrims must notify to Pilgrims Office before the arrival and obviously if they want to travel with the F.B. "Agia Anna". It is better to spend the previous night to [http://www.ouranoupoli.gr/ Ouranoupolis]. Pilgrims to Mount Athos should be decently dressed (no shorts pants). Several penalties are enforced against anyone who attempt to remove religious items from Mount Athos. The entrance of video cameras on Mount Athos is strictly forbidden.
[[Image:Xenophontos_Monastery.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Xenophontos Monastery (Athos)|Xenophontos Monastery]]]]
* [[Esphigmenou Monastery (Athos)|Esphigmenou Monastery]]
* [[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon's Monastery]]
* [[Konstamonitou Monastery (Athos)|Konstamonitou Monastery]]|
| width="33%" align="left" valign="top"|'''The Sketes'''<br />
* [[St. John the Baptist Prodromou Skete (Athos)|St. John the Baptist Skete]]* [[Prodromou Skete (Athosof Saint John the Forerunner)|Prodromou Skete]]
* [[St. Anne's Skete (Athos)|St. Anne's Skete]]
* [[Little St. Anne's Skete (Athos)|Little St. Anne's Skete]]
* [[Kafsokalyvia Skete (Athos)|Kafsokalyvia Skete]]
* [[Skete of Vatopedi (Athos)|Skete of Vatopedi(of Saint Demetrios) ]]* [[Skete of Iviron (Athos)|Skete of Iviron(of Saint John the Forerunner)]]* [[Skete of Koutloumousiou (Athos)|Skete of Koutloumousiou(of Saint Panteleimon)]]* [[Skete of Pantokratoros (Athos)|Skete of Pantokratoros(of Saint Elijah)]]
* [[New Skete (Athos)|New Skete]] (''Nea Skiti'')
* [[Lacu Skete (Athos)|Lacu Skete (of Saint Demetrios)]] (''Lakkoskete'')* [[Skete of Xenophontos (Athos)|Skete of Xenophontos(of Announciation)]]
* [[St. Basil's Skete (Athos)|St. Basil's Skete]]
* [[Provata Skete (Athos)|Provata Skete]]<br /><br />
'''Associated Monasteries'''<br />
* [[Cenobium of the Annunciation (Ormylia, Chalkidiki)]]
*[[Monastery of St. John the Theologian - Souroti]]|}
==External links==
*[https://asceticexperience.com/ The Ascetic Experience - an Athonite site run by Athonite monks]
*[http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/home.en.html A Pilgrim's Guide to Mount Athos]
*[http://www.mountathos.gr/active~mode~en{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002}View.html Mount Athos Monasteries]
*[http://www.ortodoksi.net/tietopankki/luostarit/athos/exhibition_en.htm Athos - Monastic life on the Holy Mountain (exhibition)]
*[http://www.doaks.org/typikaPDF/typ017.pdf Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents]. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection.
*[http://www.vcarious.com/Travel-Guide/Greece/MountAthos.html Information for Pilgrims]
*[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/athos/draper-text Called to the Holy Mountain: The Monks of Mount Athos] by Robert Draper, photographs by Travis Dove, from ''National Geographic''
*[http://www.chotki.com/Mount-Athos/ Holy Mount Athos]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[ar:جبل آثوس]]
[[el:Άγιο Όρος]]
[[es:Monte Athos]]
[[fr:République monastique du Mont Athos]]
[[mk:Света Гора]]
[[ro:Muntele Athos]]
[[ru:Святая гора Афон]]
[[sr:Света Гора]]
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