Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in northeastern Greece and an important centrer of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. It is governed as an autonomous polity within the Greek Republic. Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Mount Athos is commonly referred to in Greek as the Agion Oros (‘Holy Mountain'), and the entity as the "Athonite State" Other languages of Orthodox tradition also use names translating to "Holy Mountain", including Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian and others. In the classical era, while the mountain was called Athos, the peninsula was known as Acté or Akté (Greek: Ακτή).
Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its nearly 1,800-year continuous Christian presence and its long historical monastic traditions, which date back to at least 800 A.D. and the Byzantine era. Today, over 2,000 monks from Greece and many other countries, including Eastern Orthodox countries such as Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia, live an ascetic life in Athos, isolated from the rest of the world. The Athonite monasteries feature a rich collection of well-preserved artifacts, rare books, ancient documents, and artworks of immense historical value, and Mount Athos has been listed as a World Heritage site since 1988.
Following the Protocol of the monastic state, that says that only men are allowed visiting Mount Athos. Visitors should contact Holy Executive of the Holy Mount Athos Pilgrims’ bureau offices in order to obtain a written permit, before their visit. This is a mandatory procedure since the number of visitors is limited to only ten permits a day for non-orthodox visitors (foreigners) and 100 for Greeks and Orthodox visitors. Women can cruise along the west coast of Mount Athos and admire that beauty of nature and the monasteries.
According to the written rules of Mt Athos, it's forbidden for women to enter by any means or stay anywhere in the monastic state. This prohibition is called Αvaton in Greek. Ant breach of the rule is a punishable offence, because Mt Athos is dedicated to one woman whom all the monks honor and pray to, the Blessed Mary.
Even though women are not allowed inside Mount Athos, all visitors (men and women) can admire the magnificent monasteries by cruising along the west coast of Athos peninsula. Daily Boat Cruises, depart from Ouranoupoli (East Coast) and Ormos Panagias (Sithonia).
The natural location of the peninsula is admirable. The Athonite monasteries feature a rich collection of well-preserved artifacts, rare books, ancient documents, and artworks of immense historical value, and Mount Athos has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1988. The trips begin from ports of Ormos Panagias or Ouranoupoli. The first monastery that you will meet is the monastery of Saint Paul. Then the boat continue sailing north, along the western coasts, admiring 8 more monasteries of significant and extraordinary beauty, till you reach the monastery borders, that separate Mount Athos from the outside world. The cruise give to the guests an opportunity to learn about the history and architecture of Athos, where the wonder-working and famous to the Russians miraculous icons of the Mother of God "Worthy is," "Merciful", "Slain," "Iberian", "Mammal", "Otrada and Solace", " Shortly-Eater "," Konevskaya "and" Troeruchnitsa ".
According to Greek mythology, the name Athos belongs to a Thracian giant. During the battle of Gods versus Giants, Athos threw a huge rock against Poseidon. The rock slipped through his fingers and fell into the sea creating a huge block of land which is now known as Mount Athos. However, on a different version of the story, it was Poseidon who threw the rock against Athos. The rock crushed Athos and buried him underneath. This rock is now called Mount Athos.
Up to the 3rd century B.C., there were quite a few small Greek towns in the peninsula of Athos however as years gone by these cities decayed. Thus, the area remained deserted for many centuries.
Tradition indicates that Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist encountered a stormy sea, on their way to visit Lazarus in Cyprus and they were forced to seek shelter in a port, which is now the Holy Monastery of Ivira. The Virgin Mary admired the wild beauty of the place and asked God to give her the mountain as a present. Then our Lord responded: “Let this place be your lot, your garden and your paradise, as well as a salvation, a haven for those who seek salvation”. Since then, Mount Athos is called "The Garden of the Virgin Mary".
The first monks arrived in Mount Athos during the 5th century AD, looking for a secluded place to worship God and find their peace on Earth. Historical documents on ancient Mount Athos history are very few. We are sure that monks were already there since the 4th century. That period both Christians and pagans were living there. After the Islamic conquest of Egypt in the 7th century, many monks from the Egyptian desert tried to find another place and some of them came to the Athos peninsula. In 866, John Kolovos built the first monastic center, the Great Vigla. This monastery was consolidated by royal golden bulls (decrees). Since then, Mount Athos became the land of monastic life.
In 958 AD, the monk Athanasios the Athonite arrived on Mount Athos from the Monastery of Xerolimne in Asia Minor. In 962, the big central church of the “Protaton” in Karies is built. In the next year, with the support of the Emperor Nicephorous Focas, the monastery of Great Lavra was founded, the largest and most prominent of the 20 monasteries existing today.
Monasteries are built under the style of Byzantine architecture. The buildings are constructed with massive walls to create a defensive shield from pirates or other conquerors like a fort, giving Athos a castle appearance. In the middle of the structure there is a courtyard, which includes the “katholiko” (cardinal monastery), the trapeza” (refectory), “phiale” (the basin for the blessing of the waters) and chapels. Next to the central church you will find the bell-towers and the domes. What is more, “Archontaki” is the guest room of all monasteries which have also the “arsanas”, a small port that only monks have access.
The Athonian monasteries hold invaluable art treasures while at the same time form a cultural center for almost one thousand years. There are numerous painting collections and portable icons as well as mosaics and sculptures from the medieval years. All pieces of art are precious and unique holding a sacred story that traveled through the years.
Any Greek or foreign Orthodox Christian who wishes to visit Mount Athos must first get in touch with the Pilgrim Bureau in Thessaloniki (+30 2310 833 733) or Ouranoupoli Halkidiki (+30 23770 71 423) in order to obtain the Diamoneterion (visitation permit) which is valid for four calendar days.
Foreigners of other religious affiliations must apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches, 2, Zalokosta St, Athens, (+30 210 362 6894) or the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace, Directorate of Political Affairs, Plateia Diikitiriou, Thessaloniki, (+30 2310 270 092) in order to obtain an entry permit for Mount Athos.
A maximum of 120 Orthodox Christian visitors are allowed per day, whereas foreigners of other religious affiliations are limited to 14 per day. These limits do not include persons that have explicit invitations from the monasteries.
Τoday on Mount Athos there are 20 monasteries, 17 of them are Greek: Megistis Lavras, Vatopediou ( Greek Cyprian ), Iviron, Koutloumousiou, Agiou Pavlou, Dionissiou, Xenofontos, Stavronikita, Gregoriou, Konstamonitou, Esfigmenou, Doheariou, Karakalou, Xiropotamou, Pantokratoros, Simonos Petras, Filotheou.
1 monastery is Russian: Agiou Panteleiminos, 1 is Serbian : Hilandar and 1 is Bulgarian : Zografou.
There are also 14 skites and many kellia, kalives and kathismata. Mount Athos is governed by the “Holy Community” a council of representatives from the 20 monasteries with the participation of the Greek State through its representative in Karyes, the capital city. The executive organ of the “Holy Community” is the four-member “Holy Epistasia” headed by the “Protepistate”. Responsibility for spiritual matters comes under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, while matters of public order and safety come under the representative government of the Greek state.
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