EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis): For over 50 years, Esfigmenou Monastery has been in a struggle with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The monks of Esfigmenou do not memorialize the Patriarch, considering him – RIGHTFULLY SO – a heretic. Many other monasteries in Athos do not memorialize the Patriarch but do so quietly without proclaiming their act. In recent years, Pat. Bartholomew, arrogant as ever, proceeded to establish a new/fake “monastery” in the town of Karyes, where all monasteries have some kind of “headquarters” a “monastery” consisting of only two people. This “New/Fake” Monastery receives ALL the outside donations (including some from the EU), while the true monastery of Esfigmenou, which is the most populous in Athos (about 118 monks), depends on donations from the faithful. But even those small donations Bartholomew tries to ban by using his “power” on Greek authorities.
Let me clarify here that the “New/Fake” Esfigmenou is not an Athonite monastery, as per the traditions and the Athos Charter. Athos was established in 963 AD as an autonomous region, and it stayed so through the rule of Byzantines and Ottomans until today when Article 105 of the Greek Constitution recognizes its administrative autonomy.
To become a monk in Athos, one has to follow the ritual process and live in one of the twenty monasteries—recognized by the Charter in a hierarchical order. The two monks of the “new” Esfigmenou” never lived in the monastery, and therefore, they lacked status. The mass media act ignorantly by presenting them as “monks” – they are not. These two monks (and apparently Pat. Bartholomew, to whom they report) receive tons of EU money in addition to having taken over all the valuable real estate belonging to the monastery: only one such piece of property in central Athens is rented by the Greek government for 30,000 euros a month!! One more instance where Bartholomew is acting SOLELY on a financial profit basis…
In the next few days, Bartholomew will experience one more effort to use the Greek Police to expel the monks from the old Esfigmenou. Hundreds of supporters have gathered at the border of Athos to demonstrate and help the monks repel the Police.
We promise to return to this issue soon – it looks like Bartholomew will stop at nothing on his way to globalist nirvana…
BELOW TWO REPORTS IN ENGLISH AND GREEK
==================
GREEK POLICE PREPARING TO STORM SCHISMATIC ESPHIGMENOU MONASTERY ON MT. ATHOS—GREEK MEDIA
Mt. Athos, July 22, 2024
Photo: ekklisiaonline.gr
Greek police are reportedly preparing to storm Esphigmenou Monastery on Mt. Athos to evict its 118 resident monks.
Esphigmenou has been in schism from the rest of the Holy Mountain, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the rest of the Orthodox World for many years, in protest against the ecumenistic activity of the Patriarch of Constantinople with the Catholic Church and other bodies.
While the Athonite monasteries have protested such activity by ceasing to commemorate the Patriarch in the Divine services several times in recent decades, the Esphigmenou brotherhood has gone further by joining a schismatic, Old Calendarist jurisdiction.
The constitution and statutes of the Holy Mountain prohibit monastic cohabitation with the heterodox or schismatics, thus there have been several attempts to evict the monks, including a 2013 incident in which Abbot Methodios and other monks threw Molotov cocktails at the police.
The abbot and another monk initially received 20-year sentences in 2017, with 6 others receiving sentences of 10 years and 4 months, though those sentences were reduced to 17 years and 9 years and 5 months respectively in 2019, and again to 5.5 years and 2 years and 9 months respectively in 2021.
In July 2020, Greek courts ordered the schismatic brotherhood to hand over all territories both on and outside of Mt. Athos to the New Esphigmenou Brotherhood created by Patriarch Bartholomew in 2005, which has been living in the Athonite capital of Karyes. Authorities began evicting monks from the monastery’s properties in Greece later that month.
And now, according to Ekklisia Online and several other Greek outlets, the police are preparing for another eviction attempt.
The Greek police recently submitted a document to the Holy Epistasia (the governing monastic body for the Holy Mountain, representing the 20 ruling monasteries), requesting permission to launch a large-scale operation with significant police forces and vehicles.
But, as with previous incidents, Abbot Methodios and the brotherhood have no intention of surrendering:
We’re ready to defend the monastery to the death; this is our spiritual homeland. Here we were born spiritually and here we will die. The police are just employees… They’re obliged to do what they are told, and they’re hounding us.
If the fathers of the monasteries and the police come here so that Greeks fight Greek monks, they should get this idea out of their heads. But let them come. And whatever happens, let it happen. If the police drag me and pull me, will the monks sit with their hands tied? Or if they see an officer hitting a monk, will the fathers sit and watch? Crimes will be committed, incited by these monks who have no purpose.
Ekklisia Online published the letter from the police to the Holy Epistasia:
Photo: ekklisiaonline.gr
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«Ορθοδοξία ή Θάνατος»: Πολιορκείται από ένοπλες αστυνομικές δυνάμεις η ιστορική Μονή Εσφιγμένου με τους 118 υπέργηρους μοναχούς
Γέροντας Μεθόδιος: «Θα υπερασπιστούμε το μοναστήρι μέχρι τέλους»
Πολιορκείται και πάλι η μαρτυρική και ιστορική Ιερά Μονή Εσφιγμένου από αστυνομικές δυνάμεις με τους 118 μοναχούς να προειδοποιούν ότι θα θυσιαστούν για να μην αρπάξει το Πατριαρχείο της Κωνσταντινούπολης την περιουσία τους.
Αυτή την στιγμή εκατοντάδες αστυνομικοί με βαρέα οχήματα έχει πλησιάσει την Μονή και αναμένεται η τελική διαταγή για έφοδο.
Πρόκειται για γέροντες οι οποίοι από το 1972 κρατούν σκληρή στάση έναντι της ηγεσίας της Ορθοδοξίας έχοντας διακόψει κάθε επαφή με το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο, διαφωνώντας για τις συναντήσεις με εκπροσώπους της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας.
Από την περίοδο εκείνη, στο μοναστήρι κυματίζει το λάβαρο «Ορθοδοξία ή Θάνατος».
Η υπόθεση ξεκίνησε την περασμένη Τρίτη (16/7) όταν ο Αστυνομικός Σταθμός Καρυών απέστειλε έγγραφο προς την Ιερά Επιστασία του Αγίου Όρους, με το οποίο ζητούσε άδεια ώστε να προχωρήσει σε ευρείας κλίμακας επιχείρηση έξωσης σε χώρους του Άθω, με τη συνδρομή ισχυρών αστυνομικών δυνάμεων και βαρέων οχημάτων – μετά από αίτημα που υπέβαλε δικαστικός επιμελητής.
Ένα σύνθημα το οποίο για τους ίδιους, αποτελεί στάση ζωής.
Από το 2002 η παλιά αδελφότητα κηρύχτηκε «παράνομη» και έως και σήμερα για την ελληνική δικαιοσύνη, οι μοναχοί της Μονής Εσφιγμένου χαρακτηρίζονται ως «καταληψίες» και τους έχει ζητηθεί να αποχωρήσουν από το Μοναστήρι.
Την ίδια ώρα έχουν αποκλειστεί από τους κρατικούς και ευρωπαϊκούς πόρους, ενώ το Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας εδώ και σχεδόν 20 χρόνια αναγνωρίζει επίσημα ως νόμιμη τη νέα αδελφότητα της Εσφιγμένου, η οποία έχει έδρα τις Καρυές, αφαιρώντας κάθε δικαίωμα ή προνόμιο από τα παλιά μέλη.
«Είμαστε έτοιμοι να υπερασπιστούμε το μοναστήρι μέχρι θανάτου»
Ο γέροντας Μεθόδιος -ένας από τους καταδικασθέντες σε… 18 χρόνια κάθειρξη από την πολιορκία του 2013- δήλωσε στο τοπικό μέσο ότι «σε περίπτωση αστυνομικής επιχείρησης, δεν θα μείνουν με σταυρωμένα τα χέρια».
«Είμαστε έτοιμοι να υπερασπιστούμε το μοναστήρι μέχρι θανάτου, εδώ είναι η πνευματική μας πατρίδα. Εδώ γεννηθήκαμε πνευματικά και εδώ θα πεθάνουμε.
Οι αστυνομικοί το μόνο που κάνουν είναι υπάλληλοι, δεν τους παρεξηγώ. Είναι υποχρεωμένοι να κάνουν αυτό που τους λένε. Και κυνηγούν εμάς. Εμείς έχουμε γεροντάκια που ζουν εδώ 50, 60,70 χρόνια.
Μάς απαγορεύουν να βγούμε από το μοναστήρι να πάμε να πάρουμε τρόφιμα. Κουβαλάμε πράγματα στην πλάτη και περπατάμε 1,5 χιλιόμετρο. Να αφήσουμε τα γεροντάκια να πεθάνουν επειδή το θέλουν δύο άτομα; Προς Θεού, πού βρισκόμαστε;» διερωτάται.
«Ας έρθουν»
Σύμφωνα με τον γέροντα Μεθόδιο, «Ας έρθουν και ό,τι θέλει ας γίνει. Άμα οι αστυνομικοί με τραβάνε και με σέρνουν, θα κάτσουν οι μοναχοί με δεμένα τα χέρια;
Ή αν δουν κάποιος αξιωματικός να χτυπά κάποιον μοναχό, θα καθίσουν οι πατέρες να τους βλέπουν; Θα γίνουν εγκλήματα και αυτά τα παρακινούν οι Μοναχοί αυτοί που δεν έχουν σκοπό».
«Εμείς δεν πειράξαμε ποτέ κανέναν – Λένε ψέματα»
Τόσο το 2006 όσο και το 2013 το Άγιο Όρος σημαδεύθηκε από τις επιθέσεις της ΕΛΑΣ στη Μονή.
«Δεν έχουμε κάτι ούτε με την Ιερά Κοινότητα ούτε με το Πατριαρχείο. Τα έχουμε με τους ανθρώπους. Εμείς δεχόμαστε μόνο αυτά που άφησαν οι Άγιοι Πατέρες.
Μας κατηγορούν για πράγματα που δεν ισχύουν, ότι εμείς… εκπαιδεύουμε Ρώσους κομάντο!
Εμείς όποιος και να έρθει θα τον φιλοξενήσουμε, θα του δώσουμε ένα κομμάτι ψωμί να φάει. Και Τούρκος να είναι, θα του προσφέρουμε ένα ποτήρι νερό. Και αυτό γίνεται με τον δικό μας τον κόπο, γιατί μας έχουν πάρει τα πάντα.
Πολλές φορές δεν έχω ούτε 5 ευρώ να πάρω κάτι για το γεροντάκι. Υποχρεώνω τους άλλους αδελφούς που μας βοηθάνε», αναφέρει.
Και συμπληρώνει:
«Τι ήρθαν να κάνουν στο Άγιο Όρος; Εδώ δεν ήρθαμε να μαζέψουμε χρήματα όπως αυτοί, να παίρνουν όλα τα έσοδα της Μονής δύο άτομα. Τι τα κάνουν;
Εμένα με έχουν δικάσει 65 φορές. Είναι αυτό κατά Θεόν; Είναι αυτοί Μοναχοί στο Άγιο Όρος; Εμείς δεν πειράξαμε ποτέ κανέναν.
«Ο κόσμος μάς στηρίζει πάρα πολύ και το μήνυμά μου που δίνω, είναι: Να μείνουμε Έλληνες και Ορθόδοξοι και να επιστρέψουμε στα ήθη και στα έθιμά μας. Και να μπορέσουμε να ζήσουμε σαν έθνος – γιατί κάθε έθνος που καταστρέφει και τα ήθη και τα έθιμα, είναι προδιαγεγραμμένο για αφανισμό», καταλήγει.
Η μονή Εσφιγμένου διέκοψε το 1972 κάθε σύνδεση με το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο κι έκτοτε οι σχέσεις τους παραμένουν διαρρηγμένες παρά τις προσπάθειες προσέγγισης έχουν γίνει κατά καιρούς από την πλευρά του Πατριαρχείου.
Το 2005 το Συμβούλιο Επικρατείας αναγνώρισε ως νόμιμη τη νέα αδελφότητα του Εσφιγμένου, η οποία έχει έδρα στις Καρυές και αποτελείται από μοναχούς, τους οποίους αναγνωρίζει και επίσημα η Ιερή Κοινότητα του Αγίου Όρους, αφαιρώντας κάθε δικαίωμα ή προνόμιο προς τους «παλαιούς».
Οι σχέσεις των παλαιών και των νέων μοναχών της Εσφιγμένου οδηγήθηκαν σε οξύτατη αντιπαράθεση το καλοκαίρι του 2013. Μέλη της νέας κοινότητας προσπάθησαν τότε να εκδιώξουν τους μοναχούς που εγκαταβιώνουν στο κονάκι της μονής στις Καρυές, ενώ η εικόνα με έναν από τους μοναχούς της παλιάς μονής να κρατάει στο χέρι ένα φλεγόμενο μπουκάλι-μολότοφ, κατέκλυσε πρωτοσέλιδα και ρεπορτάζ των μέσων ενημέρωσης.
Σε βάρος των μελών της παλαιάς μονής εκκρεμούν καταδικαστικές αποφάσεις της Δικαιοσύνης, καθώς και αποφάσεις απέλασης από το Άγιο Όρος, εκείνοι δηλώνουν ανυποχώρητοι.
Ο ηγούμενος της Μονής, Μεθόδιος, παραμένει ακλόνητος στα πιστεύω του: Είναι κέρδος να διώκεται κάποιος για την πίστη του».
Ο ίδιος ο γέροντας Μεθόδιος αναφέρει: «Έχουμε δεχτεί ένα διωγμό πρωτοχριστιανικό. Όχι από εχθρούς, αλλά από τον ίδιο τον Πατριάρχη, ο οποίος θα έπρεπε να είναι ο πατέρας μας, καθώς και από την Ιερά Κοινότητα.
Επίσης δεν διατηρούμε σχέσεις με την Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος. Κι αυτό γιατί το Άγιο Όρος δεν ανήκει στην κρατούσα Εκκλησία, αλλά στο Πατριαρχείο. Η διαφορά μας με τον Πατριάρχη είναι πνευματική», σπεύδει να διευκρινίσει. «Δεν τον θεωρούμε ορθόδοξο με αυτά που κάνει, δεδομένου ότι με τις πράξεις του είναι αντίθετος προς την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία και γι’ αυτό δεν τον μνημονεύουμε».
Όπως εξηγεί, οι κανόνες της Εκκλησίας «απαγορεύουν τη συμπροσευχή με αιρετικούς. Είτε με προτεστάντες και καθολικούς, είτε με αλλόθρησκους όπως κάνει ο Βαρθολομαίος, ο οποίος υποστηρίζει ότι όλες οι θρησκείες κρύβουν ένα κομμάτι αλήθειας. Κάτι τέτοιο όμως δεν είναι παρά ένα ψέμα. Από τους Πατέρες μάθαμε πως η μόνη αλήθεια είναι η Ορθοδοξία και ότι εκεί μόνο μπορούμε να σωθούμε».
«Δούρειος Ίππος οι χρηματοδοτήσεις για να μπουν ακόμα και γυναίκες στο Άγιο Όρος»
«Θεωρούμε άλλωστε ότι τα ευρωπαϊκά χρήματα αποτελούν το Δούρειο Ίππο, ο οποίος θα καταστρέψει το Άγιο Όρος. Κάποιοι έσπευσαν να πουν: “Γιατί δεν αφήνετε τις γυναίκες να μπαίνουν στο Άγιο Όρος. Αφού τα χρήματα που λαμβάνετε προέρχονται και από γυναίκες φορολογούμενες”. Εγώ απαντώ ότι εάν αποδεχτούμε τα ποσά που εγκρίνει το ελληνικό Δημόσιο και η Ε.Ε. για τις μονές, είναι σαν να δεχόμαστε να μας τραβούν από τη μύτη κάποιοι, όπως συμβαίνει σήμερα με το ελληνικό κράτος.
Οι μονές απορροφούν διαρκώς χρήματα με αποτέλεσμα να έρθει η Ε.Ε. μελλοντικά, ζητώντας να ανοίξει το Άγιο Όρος στις γυναίκες. Γι’ αυτό προσπαθούμε και βασιζόμαστε αποκλειστικά στις δικές μας δυνάμεις, συντηρούμε και τα κειμήλια της μονής αλλά και το μοναστήρι, αποκλείοντας τα αργύρια των Εβραίων
Δηλώνουμε Έλληνες μέχρι το κόκκαλο και αρνούμαστε να παραδώσουμε στους Εβραίους την πνευματική κληρονομιά των Ελλήνων, την οποία αποκτήσαμε με αίμα και με θυσίες.
Μην ξεχνάτε ότι πίσω από την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση βρίσκεται ο διεθνής Σιωνισμός, ο οποίος προσφέρει άφθονα χρήματα για να μπορεί να μας ελέγχει. Έτσι και οι αξιολογήσεις που επικαλούνται.
Heartbreaking … just exposes how treacherous Bartholomew is. But his time is gonna come.
Thanks, Nick. Please keep us posted because I’m sure I am not the only one here who doesn’t speak Greek.
May the Lord have mercy on these monks!
According to the OrthoChristian article the monks that are currently in Esphigmenou are aligned with a schismatic Old Calendarist group and not in communion with any other monastery on Athos.
Though they might fight against Bartholomew and his Ecumenism, they have removed themselves from canonical Orthodoxy. We can’t say on one hand “Bartholomew is bad because he’s in communion with Ukrainian is schismatics”…..and THEN say “Esphigmenou is amazing because they are in communion with a schismatic sect.” It doesn’t work that way and Fr. Peter Heers has spoken on this previously.
This is not the main issue. The whole Mount Athos follows the Old Calendar. Why do we ignore this basic truth? Amazing… Are we going to call the Holy Mountain “schusmatic”? P-lease… The main issue here is that Athos autonomy was recognized by Byzantine Emperors and Sultans for over 1000 years!! Degenerate Bartholomew has only spiritual “overseeing” rights – and nothing else. He cannot enforce anything on Athos. The Holy Mountain exists to protect Orthodoxy against heresy – and in the course of history we had many heretic Patriarchs, Bartholomew is just the latest.
I’m not saying everyone who follows the Old Calendar is schismatic, I myself belong to a Church that follows the Old Calendar (Serbia, Georgia, Russia, etc). There’s a difference between Churches that follow the Old Calendar and “Old Calendarists”
What I am saying is that the monks at Esphigmenou are under the omophorion of a Old Calendarist schismatic group that is not in communion with the rest of the Orthodox world.
Rather than join a schismatic group they should have asked to come under a canonical bishop in the Church of Greece or Russia or Romanian, etc., but, instead they left the bounds of canonical Orthodoxy and joined a non-recognized group.
I’m zero fan of Bartholomew and I agree with the monasteries on Athos that protest him, but, leaving the canonical Churches is not the way to go about it
Rather than persecuting the Old Calendarists, Bartholemew should open dialogue with them. They separated because Constantinople changed the calendar and these are the people who say the calendar cannot be changed. Yes, they are schismatics. But, so are Roman Catholics. And notice the royal treatment Constantinople gives the Roman Catholics, even though union with the Old Calendarists should be easier than with the Roman Catholics(we could never accept the infallibility of the Pope).In humility, we’d have to admit that the way in which the calendar change was made was wrong.
Bartholemew apparently doesn’t believe the calendar change was a mistake, since he is rushing full speed ahead like a mad bull to change the date of Pascha to coincide with Roman Easter Why, mostly likely to make it easier to unite under the Pope. So, rather than unifying the Church, Bartholemew is about to cause another split.
And this is supposed to be a holy man?
ANAXIOS to Black Bart!
According to online sources, the monastic community is under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I.
When did this come into effect, before or after the Ottomans took Constantinople?
Constantinople is no longer the epicenter of Orthodoxy. So why should the Ecumenical Patriarch have any jurisdiction over the monastic communities outside of Turkey?
Better yet, why should Bartholomew have any jurisdiction over the monastic communities listed below?
In 17 of the monasteries, the monks are predominantly ethnic Greek. The Helandariou Monastery is Serbian and Montenegrin, the Zografou Monastery is Bulgarian and the Agiou Panteleimonos monastery is Russian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastic_community_of_Mount_Athos
Bartholomew I – here’s a guy who, like his American subordinate, is a modern, progressive ecumenist. Yet somehow, this little man has been given powers to destroy Orthodox traditions around the world while he governs out of Istanbul, Turkey.
The Head of The Orthodox Church is our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Not the clergy, not the priests, bishops, Metropolitans or Patriarchs.
Has Bartholomew forgotten that as Patriarch, he is a subordinate to The Holy Trinity, and a servant to the Orthodox communities under his jurisdiction?
According to the Charter of Athos and the Constitution of Greece, Pat. Bartholomew has ONLY spiritual supervision and no power to enforce anything on Athos. PERIOD.
We had many heretic Patriarchs – Bartholomew is just the latest. The complete autonomy of Athos has exactly this purpose to preserve Orthodoxy through the Ages against any enemies.
Bartholomew is following in the footsteps of his predecessors, especially Meletios Metaxakis…
By ignoring the centuries old Synodic Tradition of dialogue between all Orthodox Churches and bishops, a handful of egotistical imposters that have nothing to do with Christ have successfully divided His Church into splinter groups over the Calendar issue. Yet, ironically, Mt. Athos reminds us that in 1924 there was unanimous resistance to Patriarchal decree, and that’s why even today Mt. Athos has retained the Julian Calendar. St. Markella in NY is a direct result of the militant successor of the logical Metropolitan of Chios who for 2 decades after the 1924 imposition of the Gregorian Calendar in the Church of Greece had allowed the coexistence of two calendars under his Omoforion, which at least preserved the Metropolis of Chios from a formal schism. Then, the nasty successor came in, and used the court system and the police, much like Bartholomew seems to want to do in the Esphigmenou situation, and that created the conditions for mass exodus of those who preferred the Julian calendar not only from the island of Chios, but as we now know, from the Church body as well (after they joined forces with Γ.Ο.Χ. and expanded the παρασυναγωγη that we see today). The same scenario played out in the rest of Greece in the aftermath of 1924, with shameful defrocking and even judiciary convictions of many good priests whose only crime was to “not do obedience” to a spineless but at the same time egotistical bishop that was participating in the scandalization of the people…
Fortunately, with this media attention to the latest Esphigmenou saga, a lot of reaction has occurred, and it is possible that the Holy Presiding Council (Ιερα Επιστασια) of Mount Athos may NOT in fact grant the police the latitude they have requested to proceed…let’s see…
No, the Roman Church is heretical. The Patriarch is not interested in dialogue with the Old Calendarists. Sure, some Old Calendarists are extreme, but Constantinople began the schism. An unnecessary change which divided the faithful. It certainly would appear that Bartholomew considers the Roman Catholics to be in the church, but not the Old Calendarists. I’m disturbed that the OCA even maintains communion with Constantinople. That should stop, until they return to the Faith they once confessed.
Nick, I understand that Bartolomeu has only spiritual power over them. But what they’re doing is against their spiritual father. I have an allergy with wannabe martyrs. The previous attempts by Police at clearing the monastery was met with petrol bombs. That’s not a Christian way of resistance.
Those monks can follow the old calendar if they want to, but they have no right to disobey the patriarch’s spiritual supremacy over them. Their “preventive” militancy in case Mt Athos allows women is a display of obstinacy which has no place in Christianity. Let’s say that women are allowed in Mt Athos, which I have not heard that it is a possibility. Barring women from Mt Athos is a tradition. Not a scriptural command. The idea was that the mountain was the Virgin’s territory and hers alone. As if she is some jealous woman that wants to have it all to herself. As if she wants no competition from other women. Which has no basis in scripture. Apostle Peter said after all, that “there is no man or woman”. Who are those monks to say any differently?
What does Markos think of my position, as to the exclusion of women being tradition (which I have no problem against) rather than scriptural mandate?
Markos will answer on time. For now let me note that ALL the 20 monasteries follow the old calendar. They do not simply “can” follow the Old calendar but they claimed the right to do so against heretic ecumenist Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis and they won. Bartholomew has nothing more than “spiritual guidance” over Athos. No enforcement power – rightfully so. If he wants to prove he has enforcement power let him enforce the new calendar first. HE CANNOT ENFORCE IT – PERIOD. Therefore, in dogmatic/spiritual matters HE CANNOT ENFORCE ANYTHING ELSE.
Bob,
Before we move to “scriptural references”, it’s good to remind ourselves of certain realities:
1) If we want to talk about “commandments/mandates”, the concept of the “αβατον” has been codified by Greek secular law as well, and those who violate it go to prison. That is not “tradition”, but current Law.
2) There are several other monasteries outside Mt. Athos, where women are not allowed to set foot, including Stavrovouni in Cyprus, and St. Sabas monastery in the Holy Lands. There are also some women’s monasteries that don’t allow men in (apart from the priest that serves Liturgy).
3) In Church Canon Law, there are some regulations and explicit prohibitions about celibate clergy hosting women that are not their relatives, as well as the proximity of women at men’s monasteries, and vice versa. There is a specific boat tour for women that stays 500 meters offshore as it circumnavigates the peninsula, in observance of some of these “canonical distance limitations”. We can argue all day about what constitutes a “home”, and whether the “home” begins from the outer fence or from the threshold…
4) The definition of a “monastery” is peculiar in the case of Mt. Athos, because the entire peninsula is reserved for monastic use, by Imperial decrees from the Byzantine empire. Case Law in general, not just in Greece recognizes these “χρυσοβουλα” as having force. As a result, every square inch of this peninsula is considered “monastery ground”.
5) Meteora also used to have the “αβατον” in force. When the Greek government (Archaeology department) essentially took over Meteora during a time of decline, built roads, and essentially dissolved the “αβατον” in favor of the hoards of tourists (many of them totally irreverent and disruptive) that we see today, do you remember what happened? Abbott Aimilianos took his following and relocated to Simonpetra on Mt. Athos, to get away from the disruptions. Even to the day, Simonopetra is one of the most difficult monasteries to visit, with severe restrictions on the amount of [male] visitors that it accepts, most likely because of that nasty experience in Meteora in the early 1970s… Vatopedi is also very difficult to visit, even as a male. As a result, anyone that claims that being a male gives you access to Mt. Athos monasteries is not telling the full truth…Monasteries are constantly trying to strike a balance between “sufficient hospitality” and “disruptive visitation”, because losing focus of their mission is not something that can be compromised.
Now, for some “scriptural references” justifying the “αβατον” as not being “merely tradition”. It is clear that everyone has different weaknesses. What may be “easy” for you, may be difficult for someone else. In scripture, there is an interesting, controversial and often misunderstood quote that appears several times…Matthew 18:9 / Matthew 5:29, and again Mark 9:47,…. and even the quotes in Matthew 19:12, Proverbs 5:8 applies, as do Colossians 3:5, Romans 8:3 apply to the “αβατον”, as do many more…. And a couple of relevant quotes for anyone advocating that women should visit Mt. Athos are Corinthians 8:11-12, and Luke 17:2 / Matthew 18:6… As a result there is plenty of justification and correlation in scripture for the emergence of the “Tradition” of the “αβατον”…
Understanding monasticism as a “voluntary self-imprisonment” in a “removed environment” order to “deaden passions” and obtain “freedom from sin” is key to understanding the underlying scriptural connection and justification for the “αβατον”…Monks take up their cross and withdraw from the world…they don’t “bring the world with them” to their monastery. One of the biggest reasons for the “αβατον” across the entire geography of Orthodoxy (not just Mt. Athos) was that it establishes an environment that from its start removes an entire category of distractions from the monastic’s quest of spiritual perfection. Don’t monastics have the right to establish an environment that helps them succeed in their goal?
Byzantium honored the “αβατον”, and so did the modern Greek State, as does Cyprus and the Israeli state in the case of Stavrovouni and St. Sabas respectively. Just like I don’t force you to accept whoever I want into YOUR home, you can’t have the expectation that the monks will accept whoever YOU want into THEIR home… Nevertheless, “tradition” is definitely rooted in scripture in the case of the “αβατον”, as per the examples above, but they can only be understood as such if the mission of monasticism is understood first.
Markos
Thank you for taking the time to explain and offer scriptural basis for the abaton.
I admire your knowledge and I know I don’t come near to the level that you have attained.
However, please, consider this point. The fight against temptation, which is the reason the monks are isolating themselves, and according to Matthew 18:9, is actually a struggle that is within the monk’s soul. It doesn’t mean that temptation should be kept away, but it is meant to have the will to even when you meet temptation, to be able to repel it. Christ was tempted, before his ministry. And he didn’t go and hide somewhere, but was a part of the world, even being in the company of women.
The tradition of Mt Athos, tells us that it is “the virgin’s garden”. It sounds too exclusive to me, too possessive, too “human”, to think that the virgin would want a whole area, all to herself, with no other women allowed. Avoidance of temptation is part and parcel of celibacy, which can be achieved in someone’s home, monastery, or as part of the world, as Bishops do. It does not preclude the avoidance of the opposite sex. And even of female animals. When someone hears the call to be celibate, he will face a life of struggle against temptation. Just as an athlete can not win a medal by not competing, so a monk can not be an athlete for Christ if he is not tempted.
The fact that the abaton is a Byzantine construct is true without a doubt. The Virgin was considered the patron of Konstantinople. The Byzantines, as any medieval people, wanted to gain her favor. Offering her a garden of her own was one way of going about it. As a matter of fact, monasticism had reached such a level after the 11th century, that it contributed to the empire’s eventual demise, due to negative effect it had on demography, plus the avoidance of military service, which was partially ameliorated by hiring mercenaries. Towards the 14th century, the Byzantine army consisted mostly of hired soldiers.
Bob,
There are multiple patristic texts available from the Desert Fathers dating back to the 500’s AD that make multiple references to Biblical quotes, as to the recommended guidance and methods that are required for a monastic to attain salvation (as well as their scriptural reasoning)…based on these texts (The Ladder, St, Dorotheos of Gaza, and others), it will become clear to any reader that the “αβατον” has a link not only to the most basic starting block for a monastic requirement of “Αποταγη” from the world but also to the most basic scriptural statement that summarizes the human condition… Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The soul is willing, but the flesh is weak.” I repeat…”the flesh is weak”…that means it needs extra measures of “protection”, plain and simple… The combination of these two concepts resulted in the establishment of the “αβατον” as a necessary security measure to allow monastics a better chance at success, again, not starting in Mt. Athos, but in the deserts of Egypt, Gaza, and elsewhere.
You keep bringing up Mt. Athos as a primary reference, but Mt. Athos was established 500 to 600 years after the Desert Fathers had already established the “αβατον” in other regions…The concept of the “garden of the Theotokos” has more to do with the traditional story of the Theotokos sailing to the peninsula and making a statement that one day it would be a dedicated place to honor her, much like the recorded Biblical statement “Μακαριουσι με πασαι αι γενεαι…”. At least, that’s what the prevailing story is that most of the monks of Mt. Athos will tell you to the day…It took many more centuries of course, before St. Athanasios the Athonite successfully established the Great Lavra on the peninsula, and began the Athonite tradition that we are aware of today.
The theory that you pose about monasticism contributing to the empire’s eventual demise is interesting propaganda, because I can counter-offer that you read the works of Ioseph Vryennios, a Stoudite monk in Constantinople about 30-40 years prior to the fall, whose fiery sermons in the Imperial courts clearly spell out his personal, contemporary eye-witness opinion on the root causes for decline and demise of the empire….those reasons were quite Biblical, indeed, the classic pattern of complacent and corrupt leadership, combined with a general apostasy from the church that historically and Biblically leads to the abandonment of God’s grace (which was more abundant in the earlier days of the Empire, when the Theotokos intervened to save Constantinople, hence resulting in the Akathyst being actively chanted in our days)…I will provide one quote from one of Ioseph Vryennios’ fiery speeches to provide interesting context from 1410-1420 AD Constantinople… “Our virgins have become more provocative than the prostitutes…”
Does that 600 year old quote surprise anyone? Does it remind us of anything in our modern era (prophesies of St. Neilos / St. Kosmas / others)? Imagine the spiritual state of Constantinople at that time, just by reading this quote…either way, those Vryennios sermons are quite a read… And by the way his disciple was St. Mark of Ephesos, who in 1439 stopped the handover of Orthodoxy to the Pope…And another Stoudite monk, Damaskinos, 70 to 80 years later published the “Thysauros Damaskinou”, which was a series of incredible patristic sermons on every major feast day, and from which priests during the Ottoman conquests were able to learn Theological explanations to teach the people in the days when seminaries and proper schools didn’t exist…The Stoudite monks were “rock solid”, and if anything kept “saving” Orthodoxy and the Byzantine legacy from “ultimate demise” during multiple instances throughout history, which is the opposite of what the above propaganda suggests. We can’t possibly forget the aftermath of 57 years of takeover of Constantinople and the Empire by the Latins starting in 1204, where they drove out and replaced so many priests that after 57 years, there was insufficient parish clergy memory or material to restore the Parish Typikon, resulting in an importation of the Monastic Typikon into Parish practice, which is what we essentially have today (but don’t realize it)…again, it was the Monasteries that had to “de-Latinize” and “re-educate” the people…same with St. Kosmas Aitolos during the Ottoman years of the 18th century, or even St. Nikon “Metanoite”, and others…every island has a saint that is monastic, that contributed to the revival of Orthodoxy…therefore, the source of propaganda about the “demise” of Byzantium cannot be correct, and it is more likely that Ioseph Vryennios was correct.
And one more Biblical reference that the monks refer to from time to time…the Προφηταναξ (Prophet and King) David fell into adultery and then murder after “being lured by an exposed female ankle”… If a prophet can fall like that, what will a mere monk do? As a result, your statement about avoidance of the opposite sex is in total contrast with the monastic mindset. On the other hand, if you are simply advertising to the world that you are “stronger” in that area of temptation and you don’t understand how someone can be “weaker”, that’s a different discussion. Nevertheless, when you read the 6th century Patristic writings, it is clear (over and over again) specifically for “sins of the flesh”, that because “the flesh is weak”, AVOIDANCE OF and FLEEING FROM that type of temptation are absolutely necessary for the monastic.
Markos, are you suggesting that Constantinople fell because it fell out of the Virgin’s favor?
Jesus did not choose monastics to establish the church and spread the gospel-He chose married men. Monasticism plays an important role in Orthodoxy yet the over emphasis is not consistent with apostolic practice .
JK,
I think you need to re-read the details…when people miss the details, and then misread the rest, that causes churn, and waste of valuable time going back and forth on otherwise settled matters. (really, you can certainly do better than this…)
1) …I clearly said “God’s grace”. That’s the consistency of the matter throughout Biblical history. God’s grace is withdrawn during times of apostasy, with detrimental results…time and time again. In times of higher spirituality, God’s grace is present and protects His people with miracles, including the one for which we celebrate the Akathyst hymn.
2) As for your secondary statement, we should remember that the apostle Paul said something along the lines of “if you can be like me, that’s great…but if you can’t, it’s better to get married than to burn with desire…” How is that not consistent with the monastic’s goal to be celibate according to the Apostle’s teaching?
3) Why was St. John the Forerunner celibate, and why did he lead a hermit’s life in the desert, by the way?…Why did Christ call him “greater than all men born? Did he not prepare the the way for the people, as well as those “married men” that you refer to for Christ’s appearance and teaching? Your reasoning is way off on this topic, and dangerously Protestant at that.
4) And by the way, what does “over-emphasis” mean here? That’s unfortunately a Protestant angle too…”Selective Theology”, picking and choosing what biblical verse to emphasize and which one to outright ignore based on the desired narrative…don’t be influenced by the millions of Protestants that surround us. Back to the point…you either have the ability for monasticism or you don’t…either way, monasticism is not for everyone, it is not a requirement for salvation, and the Church never taught that inability to be a monastic is equivalent to condemnation. These are illogical points of comparison. The concept is biblical, period. The Apostles said in Ephesians 4:7 “grace has ben granted to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift”… ενι δε εκαστω ημων εδοθη η χαρις κατα το μετρον της δωρεας του χριστου. To try and diminish monasticism, and claim that somehow there is a concept of “over-emphasis” that not consistent with apostolic practice is ridiculous at the least. To accept that we are not all meant to succeed in “bootcamp for Orthodox special forces”, but some of us will simply have a “desk job” in the “army of Christ” is far more honest. Let’s at least do our best to succeed at that “desk job”, so we can increment the individual Talents that God invested in us…that’s our individual goal. The liver does not perform the same function as the ear, or the nose, yet, they are all part of the same body, and they all need to be healthy “components” for the entire body to be healthy. The same thing goes with the Body of Christ and each of its members. Your suggestions about monasticism not being consistent with apostolic practice are utterly shameful and disrespectful in this context, if not blasphemous.
Our limits our known to us, and we just have to do our best within the limitations and abilities that we each have. That’s what we get graded on in the end, and that’s the meaning of the troparion for the martyrs “οι καλως αθλησαντες, και στεφανωθεντες…” (again, according to each one’s abilities and God-given Talents)
Marcos, unfortunately you resort to ad hominem arguments. I am not protestant. You avoid the reality that the majority of Jesus’ 12 were married and you somehow conclude that Paul was celibate. I value the positive influence monasticism has had and continues to have on the church but I believe it is over emphasized.
This reply is by Markos:
If someone claiming to be Orthodox makes statements that are not aligned with Orthodox Patristic teaching, they should expect to be called out. That is not “ad hominem”. That is “calling out a misalignment with Patristic teaching and interpretation of scripture”. Here’s the response to your statement “somehow you conclude that Paul was celibate”:
So here’s what St. Nikodemos writes on 1 Corinthians 7-8 in his monumental translation of Theophylakt’s 12th century commentaries into 1800’s Greek (source: Ερμηνεια εις τας ΙΔ Επιστολας του Αποστολου Παυλου, Εκδοσεις Ορθοδοξου Κυψελης):
7) “θελω γαρ παντας ανθρωπους ειναι ως και εμαυτον…
[Οταν εχη ο Παυλος να προσταξη κανενα δυσκολον πραγμα, τοτε συνειθιζει να φερη εις το μεσον τον εαυτον του και να βαλλη παραδειγμα το εδικον του προσωπον. Δια τουτο και εδω, μελλοντας να ειπη περι της ισαγγελου παρθενιας, λεγει οτι θελω δια να ειναι ολοι οι ανδρες ωσαν και εμενα, ητοι ολοι να απεχουν απο γυναικα και να παρθενευουν, καθως απεχω και παρθενευω κι’εγω.]
…αλλ’εκαστος ιδιον χαρισμα εχει εκ Θεου, ος μεν ουτως, ος δε ουτως…”
[ Το να μεινη, λεγει, τινας παρθενος, τουτο ειναι χαρισμα οπου διδεται απο τον Θεον, αγκαλα και αυτο χρειαζεται να εχη και την εδικην μας συνεργιαν και σπουδην. Πως λοιπον λεγει αυτο χαρισμα εις καιρον οπου οι υπανδροι δεν μενουν εν παρθενια? Δια να παρηγορηση τους υπανδρους, επειδη αρκετα επεπληξεν αυτους με τα λογια εκεινα οπου τους ειπεν, οτι δια την ακρασιαν σας πειραζει ο σατανας. Σημειωσε δε οτι και τον γαμον χαρισμα βαλλει εδω ο αποστολος με τον λογον τουτον οπου ειπε.
8) Λεγω δε τοις αγαμοις και ταις χηραις, καλον αυτοις εστιν εαν μεινωσιν ως καγω (footnote 118 shown below)
#118) Ζητημα ειναι αναμεσα στους πατερας, αν ο Παυλος ητον ανυπανδρος η δεν ητον. Ο θεοφορος Ιγνατιος και Κλημης ο Στρωματευς λεγουν οτι ητον υπανδρος, και πολλοι δε αλλοι θελουν τουτο, επιστηριζομενοι εις το ρητον οπου γραφει εν τη προς Φιλιππησιους επιστολη, κεφ 4, στιχ 3 “ερωτω και σε, Συζυγε γνησιε”. Και εις το ρητον οπου γραφει εδω, οπου δεν ανεφερε μονον τους αγαμους, αλλα και τας χηρας, τας εχουσας πρωτον ανδρα. Ουτως ουν φασι και ο Παυλος εχων πρωτον γυναικα, μετα το καλεσθηναι υπο Θεου εις το κηρυγμα αφεθη απο αυτην, ως και ο Πετρος και ο Φιλιππος, και προ αυτων ο προφητης Ησαιας, ο οποιος, αφου ειδε τον Κυριον επι θρονου υψηλου, δεν εσμιξε πλεον με την γυναικα του, και ο Μωυσης αφου ειδε την εν τη βατω θεοφανειαν. Οι περισσοτεροι δε πατερες θελουν οτι ο Παυλος ητο αγαμος, ητοι ανυπανδρος. Ο Χρυσοστομος, ο Αμβροσιος, ο Αυγουστινος, ο Επιφανιος, ο Ιερωνυμος, ο Τερτυλλιανος, ο Θεοφυλακτος ουτος και αλλοι. Ορα και εις τον α’ τομ. της Εκκλησιαστικης Ιστοριας του Μελετιου, σελ. 155 και την υποσημειωσιν την εις τουτο Γεωργιου Βενδοτου. Αλλα και ο Θεοδωριτος αγαμος θελει να ητον ο Παυλος, και λεγει οτι δεν πρεπει να συναριθμη τινας αυτον με τας χηρευουσας η χηρευοντας, καθοτι νεανιας ητον ο Παυλος, οταν ηξιωθη της ουρανιου κλησεως, και δεν εσυγχωρει η ηλικια του να ητον υπανδρος και να εχηρευε.
Do you feel this example is “ad hominem” too? Would you also like to challenge St. John Chrysostom and the other fathers on how they concluded upon St. Paul’s celibacy, per footnote #118 from above? Do you still feel confident you are aligned with Orthodox Patristic interpretation, and not Protestant interpretation at this time?
I don’t understand Greek well enough to translate the statement but know that ST. Clement of Alexandria stated that Paul was married. St Chrysostom, in his book the 10 most important people in the Bible, states that St Paul was married.
JK,
It will be worth your while to figure out how to translate that excerpt above, as well as the corresponding one from 600 years prior to Theofylakt, a homily given by St. John Chrysostom himself, which is found on pages 524-525 of Volume 18 of the St. Chrysostom series published by Ελληνες Πατερες της Εκκλησιας…the combination of the two will sort out the confusion that you are encountering from the translations you are relying upon…you are real close, but you are missing a key point here, so you’ll need to read the patristic explanations to clear things up…
JK
I agree with you. Monasticism is not an ancient Greek tradition, not Jewish or early Christian. Rather, monasticism, which was practiced in the East, as in Tibet and some other oriental countries, took root after the emperor Diocletian, a zealous persecutor of Christians died and Konstantine assumed the throne of Rome and designated Christianity as one of the acceptable faiths of the empire, thus ceasing Christian persecutions. Now that Christians couldn’t be martyrs, they felt they had only one way of “carrying their cross” as Christ commanded. By the mortification of the “sinful body”. We have heard of saints who lived in the desert, or lived on a pole and depended on the good will of others to sustain them.
Try “selling” this mythical rendition to Prophet Elias, and St. John the Forerunner who lived in the desert way before Diocletian…
By the way, does anyone here recall the Stoics like Diogenes, who had applied the concept of ακτημοσυνη in their own lives, which is a major cornerstone of Monasticism, and who lived well before Christ told the rich man “if you want to be perfect, give all your wealth to the poor”?
In 1929 it was decided either calendar is acceptable, so to refer to schismatics only by calendar is misleading. The EP has plenty of old calendar members. At the time of the USA revolution, many protestants were also still holding out with the old calendar. The problem is these schizophrenic anal aggressives who have all sorts of weird conspiracy theories about law of nations, banks, scientists, psychiatry, freemasons, Jews, unicorns, sasquatch and extraterrestrials who distort theology by clinging to irrelevant vestiges of the past to prevent human progress. Athos has been a soviet spy base since 1839 (NY Times Aug 18, 1878. p. 6; Jan 5, 1940, p. E3). Anyone attacking Bart is seriously shilling for giving Moscow primacy over Orthodoxy. THis is the real purpose as Russia wants to undermine the EP only for its own magnification. The Greeks neevr accepted the spurious Third Rome theories originating from Trnvo.
You may be right on the first part on calendar -BUT regarding “Russian infiltration” you are wrong: you cannot confuse what happened 150 or 200 years ago with today. Today there is no infiltration in Athos. After 1990 and the fall of communism the Moscow Patriarchate always respected Constantinople and the Russian Monastery commemorates Bartholomew even today. But i recent years we are witnessing and living a real clash of Civilizations. I have written about it for many years. The FACT is that the West considers Orthodoxy a hindrance in its political goal of conquering Russia and grabbing its mineral treasures (hundreds of TRILLIONS for free as they have been doing for the whole planet for one thousand years. In this clash of Civilizations the Russian Orthodoxy is in the right side of history, whether you like it or not. The Istanbul Patriarchate through its Churches in America, Australia and elsewhere openly promotes homosexuality among numerous heresies. If they do not reverse course, they are in bed with the Devil – PERIOD. And those who are supporting them are the willing accomplishes of the Devil.
Lou,
I’m pretty sure if the Phanar had not embarked on a Uniate path the way it has the last 100 years (at least), relations with Moscow would have been pretty good these days, despite the known and valid historical points about past interventions, and “jockeying for position” in a world where Constantinople had been weakened by the Ottomans. Besides, Mt. Athos has produced several saints in the last couple hundred years, and St. Paisios was certainly not a Russian spy, but the Russians revere him immensely today…This is exactly the point… Compare Russian reverence to St. Paisios to their “level of respect” for Bartholomew…if honest reverence and piety for Orthodox Tradition could be restored in the circles of the Phanar, the Russians would certainly respect this. Back to basics.
Markos
The Russian church has been angling for centuries to be considered as the pre eminent Orthodox church, due to the number of adherents. The “respect” that you advocate for the Phanar to the Russian church will be considered capitulation to their leadership and will subjugate the Phanar to the Russian church.
And you are also wrong on the Phanar embarking on a Uniate path. The world has changed. The Catholics and Protestants are not fighting endless wars any longer. Nothing wrong with the reproachment of the Orthodox and the Western churches. After all, the Creed spells out that our mission should be “one catholic and Apostolic church”. If we are to become one with the others, as Christ intended, we have to talk with them.
Bob,
I was referring to the need for Phanar bishops to be more like St. Paisios in their demeanor in order to get Moscow to “respect” the Phanar as much as they respect St. Paisios, but I presume you totally misread that part…
On the Uniate question, I think you need to understand what that word means, historically, and then you will understand what that means in this context, as well as what happened in the Ukraine, too. I have yet to see any indication of the Vatican rejecting all “new” dogma that is inconsistent with the dogma preached by Pope Leo III (who was considered Orthodox), who rejected the Filioque when it first came out… They are welcome to return to Orthodoxy at any time, yes…but that’s not what is happening. “Becoming one”, without a rejection of false dogma is not possible, but they are always welcome to do so, and the door remains open when they decide to do so…
Lou,
If it is true that in 1929 it was decided (by whom, exactly?) that both calendars were acceptable, how does that justify the widespread and relentless persecutions, documented court convictions, deprivation of salaries, and defrockings of clergy in Greece that continued well into the 1950s, and created the schismatic reality that we are witnessing with the Γ.Ο.Χ. and other non-canonical splinter groups? Your sources are not accurate. Have you read the letters of St. Philotheos Zerbakos, and the threats and ultimatums from his Metropolitan in the 1930s? That constitutes only a fraction of publicly available information on the disgraceful handling by the hierarchy of this matter…