[acceraStoof]

Dear Brethren, Dear Paul,

Once you are there please ask the monks why they allowed cars on Athos and built roads for them? This is also something I don't understand. So you don't have to walk along, you can travel by car around Athos nowadays.

This is the homepage for people helping Esphigmenou to survive the persecution by the patriarch:

http://esphigmenou.com/

Christos voskrese! Nicolaj

Nicolaj, I know that building contractors with Albanian workers also tried to force their way into this monastery. Land prices are now sky high in this region as in so many others and perhaps economic reasons might be mixed in with religious differences. All very Christian!!! Mt. Athos needs our prayers because it has become the target of various strange attacks the last few years. Remember the attempt to allow women to visit. This particular disagreement reached all the way to the European Union Parliament.

Effie

[JessiPollo]

How very, very easy it is to lament how lax things have become in a place far away - a place that has for the better part of 2,000 years been a pillar of asceticism and transfiguration for the whole world. But there are roads? Cars? How very lax indeed. Where are the real ascetics?

I think I shall go have another latte...

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[JessiPollo]

It strikes me that oftentimes, when I attempt sarcasm on-line, some don't see it and believe I'm serious. In an attempt to forestall angry letters, let me point out that my above post is in that vein.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[GrileVege]

Dear Brethren! Dear Matthew,

Let me put something clear, Athos maybe geographically far away but every real orthodox believer has this place in his heart!
And it isn't just Athos, but as the place were my heart is and which is the one spiritual and ascetic centre of Orthodoxy, I am right to concern on what is going on there!

And it is not about being lax, when there are good reasons for to do so, I will have peace with the roads and the cars and so on. Athos have had bad times before and they will have bad times afterwards, but now it isn't all in peace there also and I can do nothing then join the monks in their prayers for saving this outrageous place on earth.

And as it seems most of the monks there aren't happy themselves with what is going on, and there I am not only thinking about roads and cars...

Christos voskrese! Nicolaj

[12Cickprior]

I think I shall go have another latte...
Dcn Matthew

I once sat down and had a good talk with an Athonite archimandrite... he had one of his spiritual children make him a machiatto!

[12Cickprior]

And as it seems most of the monks there aren't happy themselves with what is going on, and there I am not only thinking about roads and cars...

Christos voskrese! Nicolaj

If they weren't happy about having cars, they wouldn't of had them in the first place! Again, the roads serve a legitimate purpose. How many wild boars, snakes, and cliffs do you have to get around as you walk an hour to get to matins at 4:00 in the morning?

[neirty]

I agree with Nina,

No women allowed in Mount Athos! We will scandalize it. Forgive me for saying this, but women will go inapropriately dressed, put makeup and kiss the Holy Things, wear perfume which will erase the divine inscense etc etc.

I am a woman too, but as much as my heart longs for Mount Athos, I cannot go. My husband Jim has been, and came back and told me what he saw.

It was divine!

In Christ
+Angela

[Asianunta]

Dear all,

I am not speaking about the Holy Mountain now, or the monks there because I do not know. However honestly modern man is fragile in many aspects and has become soft. Now I do not write this as an outsider from another era that has to report to her contemporaries, but just as a participant in our world who has observed and participates.

It is great to take advantage of the technology and all things God enlightened people to discover, but honestly we have been enslaved by all the commodities and conveniences of our times. If Antichrist comes today I do not know how we will react. Of course I do not exclude here the grace of God and His help as many Fathers have said and emphasized, when they speak about the end; but if even modern secular thinkers state that we are enslaved by technology, materialism and are even more dependent on the conveniences they offer, what about us? Can't we note these and think of how to lift ourselves and detach ourselves from all worldly things and cares? Observation comes first and then change. Know thyself - said the ancients. By knowing what our own Achiles' heel is, we can reform our attitudes and change. Like with confession: observe, analyze and try to change. And in the words of the modern American writer Bill Bryson (paraphrase): "Let's not forget that the word convenience starts with con." Book: I am a stranger here myself: Notes on returning to America after 20 years away.

No women allowed in Mount Athos! We will scandalize it. Forgive me for saying this but women will go innapropriately dressed, but makeup and kiss the Holy Things, wear perfume shich will erase the divine inscense etc etc.

In Christ
+Angela

Dear Angela,

As a female who does all you describe, I know what you mean and you are right. But most importantly I think that we should not even accept such disscusion (of females being allowed in Mount Athos) out of obedience to Christ and out of respect for Panagia, the female that made our salvation possible. It is given to her by her Son and that is it. For the salvation of the world. I wish all who are opposed, would just stop and think and accept to let those poor monks in peace there.

What are we thinking? There is an acquittance of mine, a very intelligent guy from Greece, who starts complaining why females are not allowed in Mount Athos. He said he wants to bring there his fiancee. His fiancee is Roman Catholic. Now, why would he complain about such reality, being a male and with his situation, if I, as an Orthodox female, have no objection about the Tradition of an Orthodox place that bans females from entering? It is human pride (first being I, who has lots and lots of pride) that makes us think that modern times call for radical changes of what the past (Tradition) sealed. It is so exhausting just hearing the prideful reasoning of the modern man. Not that people of the past were not prideful, but there was more humility I think, more obedience, and more reverence.

[acceraStoof]

I agree with Nina,

No women allowed in Mount Athos! We will scandalize it. Forgive me for saying this but women will go innapropriately dressed, but makeup and kiss the Holy Things, wear perfume shich will erase the divine inscense etc etc.

I am a woman too, but as much as my heart longs for Mount Athos, I cannot go. My husband Jim has been and came back and told me what he saw.

It was divine!

In Christ
+Angela

Angela, I also would love to visit the Aghios Oros, but I believe that if this were allowed the whole mountain would soon turn into a tourist attraction.

At the moment most of the men go in order to experience religious life as it is meant to be. It is true that some monks are becoming extremely "worldly" - spoiling the old man as Elder Paisios used to say instead of dedicating the new man to God. He too had some harsh things to say about some of these monks but that's life. A man does not change just because he is a monk. God's grace will change him if he really believes and is willing to dedicate his life to God and not to himself.

Effie

[GrileVege]

Dear Brethren!

No way to get upset about the rumour that women should allowed to enter the Holy mountain by pressure from the EU. There is an agreement between the EU and Greece which clearly says that the Holy Mountain is a special territory on which the monks, the Greek government and the patriarch can only interfere and decide.

Christos voskrese! Nicolaj

[Asianunta]

Angela, I also would love to visit the Aghios Oros, but I believe that if this were allowed the whole mountain would soon turn into a tourist attraction.
Effie

Effie, while reading your words and in the light of the subject of the modern man/woman, I think that we females are actually blessed. I took the trip to Mount Athos by boat which is allowed for females. It was a fantastic day and one of the most beautiful experiences. Fathers from different monasteries brought relics to the boat and gave us blessings, we also prayed sometime with them. The deep blue of the sea, the beauty of the sky and of the landscape, the divine buildings of the monasteries we could see, made the experience heavenly and majestic. When they showed to us where Panagia set foot there, it was a very moving moment. We saw and experienced beauty at its best and everything from the comforts of the boat. Why do not you do it? You are so near by (by American standards) and it is a marvelous experience.

[neirty]

Effie your'e so blessed having Mount Athos close to you. Also Nina I had gone on the tour on the boat but we wern't blessed as you were to bring Holy Relics to vunerate them.

But it was a beautiful tour.

In Christ
+Angela

[Asianunta]

Effie your'e so blessed having Mount Athos close to you. Also Nina I had gone on the tour on the boat but we wern't blessed as you were to bring Holy Relics to vunerate them.

But it was a beautiful tour.

In Christ
+Angela

Dear Angela, I think it needs to be arranged and preplanned. The monks came with little speed boat to our big boat. I was blessed to have friends arrange that for the entire group. At first I was so surprised.

Didn't you love the view of Simono Petra? Did they show you where Virgin Mary is said to have stepped first there?

[neirty]

Nina,

That was one of my favourites Simono Petra. Also Saint Pantelimonon I loved! No they didn't show us where Mother Mary had stepped.