Hi !Are you from Greece?Why cannot a women visit Mount Athos?

Question

I heard that Mount Athos is inhabited only by men, acctually monks..and that women is not allowed on Mount Athos.

Answer 1

The monastic communities of Mount Athos or Agion Oros, occupied by 2250 orthodox monks, are a tourist attraction that does not encourage tourism. Although part of Greece, it is governed by it's own local administration.

According to the legend Panagia, the Virgin Mary and Mother of God, was sailing accompanied by St John the Evangelist on her way from Joppa to Cyprus to visit Lazarus. When the ship was blown out of course to then pagan Athos it was forced to drop anchor near the port of Klement, close to the present monastery of Iviron. The Virgin walked ashore and, overwhelmed by the wonderful and wild natural beauty of the mountain she blessed it and asked her Son for it to be her garden. A voice was heard; "let this place be your inheritance and your garden, a paradise and a haven of salvation for those seeking to be saved". Since that moment the mountain was consecrated as the garden of the Mother of God and is out of bounds to any other women.

This unique country, the only true theocracy in the world - and also the only monastic state in Europe - remains untouched by the presence of members of the opposite sex.
If you are a male,you can come in for a look-see, but you can't bring along a wife, or girl friend, or mistress, or even a pet dog, cat, or parakeet that happens to be female.

An ancient law exist which forbids a "road upon which a wheel can run" to be built between Karyes and the rest of the world. Mount Athos treasures it's isolation and is only accessible by boat. The basic conditions for admission are defined in a Chrysobullo (edict) which was issued by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomahos, in 1060 AD It is still valid and decrees that: (a) Women are never admitted into Mount Athos, (b) a permit is required for anyone entering the territory and (c) overnight stay is forbidden except for those who have proven religious or scientific interests and are over 18 years old. After entry the pilgrims are free to visit any monastery they wish.

Today there are 20 monasteries of which 17 are Greek, one Russian, one Serbian, and one Bulgarian.
The beauty of Mount Athos is in it's timelessness. It is as if the monastic part of the Byzantine world has been preserved in this quiet, full of mysticism corner of the world. It is not only a living museum, but principally it is a place for prayer and contemplation, free from external influences. There, the monastic ideals and way of life have been preserved in their purest form. Privileged are those who have been able to visit for a pilgrimage there.

Answer 2

Visiting Mount Athos

Answer 3

Well most of the above is true. Women of cource are not allowed for all the above mentioned reasons. Indeed, for many centuries religions (not only Christianity but also Islam and Judaism) considered women unclean and source of all evil.

This is one of the reasons that women are not allowed in Mt Athos, to be priests etc etc. This was even proposed by many women...

Of cource this mentality is long gone from most (not all unfortunately) people.

But now what.... Should someone force them to change? I think not.

By the way, my grandmother, my aunt, along with many other women during the war, while fleeing from the Germans and Bulgarians, stayed for almost a week in Athos and they were looked after by the monks.

Answer 4

Mount Athos or in Greek Agion Oros (Holy mountain)Politically it is known in Greece as the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain. This World Heritage Site is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a semi-autonomous monastic republic within the sovereignty of the Republic of Greece. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

In order to reduce sexual temptation, 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. Another reason why Mount Athos is restricted to men only, is due to the Theotokos claiming the Mount as her own. For this reason, no women are allowed, as this is one place where the Holy Mother admires, and calls it her "garden". The interdiction is punished by imprisonment from one to two years.
The EU parliament has urged Greece twice to change this rule, but the demand was rejected.
Athos did shelter refugees including women and girls twice in its history, during the aftermath of the 1770 revolution (known in Greece as the Orlofika) and in the aftermath of the 1821 revolution

Although the land is an peninsula, it is accessible only by boat. The number of visitors is restricted and all are required to get a special entrance permit before entering Mount Athos. Only males are allowed entrance into Mount Athos and Orthodox Christians take precedence in the permit issuance procedure. Only males over the age of 18, who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church are allowed to live on Athos.

I am visiting the "Agion Oros" very often (2 -3 times per year) and i am able to say that they are living in peace with a strict day schedule, that no one can afford. Their soul , their hart it is totally dedicated to the mother of God.

Their soul, and their feelings are so pure that can be compared with a child.
I have meet there monks professors of the MIT, Americans - French - Australians - Germans - Russian and others from all round the globe, and i am able to asure you that visiting this area you leave with your hart calm and full of emotions.

Answer 5

Because the whole Mount Athos is considered to be a huge monk monastery and a woman would be an unecessary temptation for those people of God.

Answer 6

Mount Athos is a place at North Greece.
By the Greek Constitution it is regognised as a place owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. It is run and inhabited only by monks, as you said.
This is because the church wants this to be a place for men that want to live near god, to pray, to be away from things that can make them sin, for example women. Men that are not monks can go and visit the mountain for certain days only after the have applied for a licence from the Church, and married only after the wife is informed and ok with this. Police is also not welcome there. Imagine something self-run, like Vaticano at Rome.
Katerina, Greece

Answer 7

Our periods girl. We are considered 'unclean'. Go figure. Why would you want to visit Mount Athos anyway. Mount Olympus has a vacancy I hear, and women, ducks, celebrities, centaurs, immortals, and platypi are allowed.

Answer 8

Because church wants this place only for one woman, the mother of God!