[Gosxjqum]

I'm reading the comments in the posts here about the Patriarch of Constantinople and I'm thinking about what has been happening at Esphigmenou monastery.

[Seiblybiozy]

Since I am going there in 20 days I have been doing alot of reading and study on the Mountain. I am finding NO text about them. Even in websites that talk about the history of each monastery from what I thought were just ordinary folk, they leave out any talks about this Monastery. They are still one of the 20. Yet they are being shunned by every source but the liberal media who only wants to discredit the entire mountain.

Paul

[Gosxjqum]

I did a Google search 'Esphigmenou monastery' and it came up with a lot of relelvant info.

[MP+4]

The E.P. should just leave them alone. No good is coming of it. They have the right to stop commeorating him, on grounds of canon 15 of the one/two council.

The Keliotes and hut dwellers sent a second letter to the abbots to cease commemorating Patriarch Bartholomew. In fact many of the kelliotes have left the monasteries as a protest. Supposedly there are now more monks NOT living in the monasteries as a protest to the E.P.

Its not only Esphigmenou, the Skete of St Basil no longer recognizes the E.P. and consider themselves under Metropolitan Cyprianos and the Synod of Resistance.

A decade or so ago a skete which considered itself apart of ROCOR was violently expelled and the vestments of the expelled monks were stolen by the Bartholomew loyalists.

In 1981 the HoLY Mountain issued an encyclical outlining healthy ecumenism as opposed to false ecumenism, it was fair , i dont see why the E.P. cant observe this. He's going down a slippery slope and has offended many good Orthodox christians.

[JessiPollo]

Dear friends,

While I don't personally want to get too involved in a conversation about the situation at the holy monastery of Esphigmenou, given that it has been some months since I last attempted to keep 'up to date' with it, I did think I should just note that, a year or two ago, the Holy Community (the governing body of Mount Athos, made up of representatives from all the monasteries) published a small booklet about the situation -- in attempt to dispel the profound amount of mis- and dis-information being circulated in the media. So far as I am aware, the booklet exists only in Greek; though perhaps by now it has been translated into other languages as well.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[w4HPpbSW]

I'm reading the comments in the posts here about the Patriarch of Constantinople and I'm thinking about what has been happening at Esphigmenou monastery.

Dear Andreas:

I know how you feel! I hardly know how to respond! I wonder how many really know what's happening there? We should all be on our knees in tears!

InXC,
Seraphim

[Gosxjqum]

Since Paul is going there, maybe he'll report back to us. Paul?

[Seiblybiozy]

Since Paul is going there, maybe he'll report back to us. Paul?

As long as I don't come off as a reporter, I am happy to make inquiries. I better wait until AFTER they accept an extension of my stay before I start nosing around for the latest gossip. Perhaps I should just scrap my plans and go up there and ask first hand.

My itenerary was to head south after crossing from Daphne to Iviron and come back north after going over the summit. We'll see how many days they allow me and how fast I can walk.

Paul

[Abebpabeniemo]

Dear Paul,

If you manage to go to Esphigmemou, you will be able to venerate the relics of St Gregory Palamas and the Monk-Martyr Angathelos (? sp). When i visited long before the troubles I found some very holy monks and some very zealous young ones. As in these situations, the youth were vociferous and destructive while the old men weree totally involved in prayer. This was also the monastery where St Passios Velichkovsky served as a novice. It is a very holy site and therefore under seige, just like Jerusalem today.

[GrileVege]

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

[Asianunta]

Dear Andreas:

I know how you feel! I hardly know how to respond! I wonder how many really know what's happening there? We should all be on our knees in tears!

InXC,
Seraphim

I did not, until now... Thank you to nicolaj for the link and to Father Serafim for the information. No wonder why they have the relics of Saint Gregory Palamas, one of the Pillars of Orthodoxy! I am so sad that monks who were denied medical care have been dying there... So sad!!! May God have mercy and intervene, and may His Holy Will be done!

[12Cickprior]

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

They allow cars there because they live there. To be able to adequately supply and rebuild, they've found it necessary to build roads for transportation. At Elder Ephraim's monasteries they make extensive use of cars, golf carts, etc. A car or cart serves the same function as a donkey, only it can haul a lot more stuff.

I have read that a lot of the older Fathers of the Holy Mountain were annoyed and upset with this.

[GrileVege]

Dear Andrew,

What the purpose of the cars is, is clear to me. But there are some rules for the Athos and one was that there were no cars and other worldy items let in. Is the next step that they will have tanks, radar, rockets and so on? Perhaps television for the pilgrims and a McDonald's on every corner????????????

What has happened to the monastic ideals???

What is happening at the Holy mountain???

Nicolaj, who is frightened.............

[MP+4]

Dear Andrew,

What the purpose of the cars is, is clear to me. But there are some rules for the Athos and one was that there were no cars and other worldy items let in. Is the next step that they will have tanks, radar, rockets and so on? Perhaps television for the pilgrims and a McDonald's on every corner????????????

What has happened to the monastic ideals???

What is happening at the Holy mountain???

Nicolaj, who is frightened.............

Well , the EU does want Athonites to allow women in. Which to me is a bad idea, these monks are still men and that would just bring distractions.

I'm not sure if Paul will find out anything about Esphigmenou's side of the story , from what i hear if you mentione you will be going to that monastery they may not grant you a permit. We may possibly find out the 19 other monasterys side of the story. I'm actually interested of how true it is that many Athonites have decided to leave the monasterys and live in Kelia and huts as a protest against the E.P. ecumenism.

[GrileVege]

Dear Brethren!

Yes this I heard also. But this is not true. Why did they need cars? And had it to be these air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz's. These aren't used for supplies and such things because they can't carry a thing nor a sack of cement.
They are there for the ego of EP Bartholomew! Better they have build automated fire extinguishers in the churches and the libraries. There the money would be spent better as in status symbols!
They built all these fantastic monasteries and churches and kellia and so on without fine cars for sightseeing, so please tell me what they are there for.

I fear the spirit gets lost at the Holy Mountain and weep and tremble!

Nicolaj

[12Cickprior]

I didn't know about Mercedes Benz's on the Holy Mountain, but life goes on. There are also cigarettes, radios, tv's (or so I've heard from a monk), and other such things. But the life of the Athonites goes on, and saints are still produced there. And the majority of the roads were built to aid in construction and to ease the burden of supplying the monasteries. Keep in mind that the average monk on the Holy Mountain comes from much different circumstances now than those fifty years ago. Our generation is physically soft and weak in comparison to the strugglers of times past... Elder Aemilianos, Elder Paisios, and others talked about this a bit. The essence must remain the same, but sometimes we need to take account of the weakness of modern man when considering things like transportation, food, etc.

[Asianunta]

Well , the EU does want Athonites to allow women in.

No females in Mount Athos! By the way, if it is not obvious, I am a female so do not crucify me for that statement. But it should be like that: no women in Mount Athos. Since when did we visit all the Orthodox monasteries in the world that now we have to go to Mount Athos.

Nicolaj do not be frightened because God and Panagia take care of the Holy Mountain. The prophecy I have heard says that when the time comes, God will submerge the Holy Mountain in the sea so the Holies there will not be defiled.

[Gosxjqum]

I wonder if we might avoid forming preconceptions for Paul and let him see for himself, and then make our points when he has returned?

[GrileVege]

knowing Paul, he will!

Nicolaj

[Seiblybiozy]

Thank you Andreas, but I already know my mental fantasies of the Mountain will be shattered as soon as I step on land. I have read and read and read some more on anything related to the Mountain. I still have my preconceptions that will drastically change when I SEE it.

My mind envisions a mile tall cartoon looking Theotokos standing on the Mountain protecting it standing on a cloud as in the icon I have on my desktop at home. It shows each monastery an inch from each other and the summit just a hillock. On my office desktop, I have an actual phtograph of the summit from some 7 miles away. OMG it is big. I have a little map taped to my desk right here next to the monitor. It looks like the monasteries are touching each other.

I have read how dangerous the terrain is between them. Even Google Earth does not really represent what is there. I can't wait to have my fantasies shattered. I intend to keep a detailed diary and photolog. Perhaps if I can figure out how to set up a website, Matthew will link to it?

graciously,
Paul