Patriarchate of Constantinople wages war against rebel monks on Mount Athos
Monks at Esphigmenou monastery on Mount Athos have barricaded themselves inside the holy building in protest against Patriarch Bartholomew’s attempt to evict them. Police have been attacked with stones and Molotov bombs
The Greek government sent riot police to Mount Athos in Northern Greece this morning, to forcibly remove a group of monks from Esphigmenou monastery, one of the twenty monasteries that form part of this famous Eastern orthodox complex. Esphigmenou monastery is renowned for the war it has waged against the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople which it accuses of betraying the Orthodox Church by opening ecumenical dialogue with the Vatican. A war which has been going on since the 70s. According to an Associated Press report, the traditionalist monks threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police and judicial officials as they attempted to storm the building .Patriarch Bartholomew declared the monks of Esphigmenou an illegal brotherhood in 2002 and ordered their eviction. But the monks ignored this, claiming the Patriarch of Constantinople does not have the power to evict them.
The conflict has been going on for decades: it all began when Paul VI visited Patriarch Athenagoras in 1967. The Esphigmenous community protested against the two religious leaders praying together by famously raising black flags displaying the message “Orthodoxy or death”. Patriarch Bartholomew decided to resolve the question by contacting the Greek Foreign Minister who - according to the complex jurisdiction regulations which apply to the Hagiorite institutions - is in charge of the security of the twenty monasteries which make up the monastic community of Mount Athos. Over the years, the Greek authorities have tried almost everything to get the Esphigmenou community to back down. They even tried cutting off food supplies to the monks, but in vain.
The situation was complicated further after a Greek court granted an injunction allowing the new brotherhood Bartholomew wants installed, to replace the old monastic community. There are 500 thousand Euros at stake, which the European Union could dish out for restoration work to be carried out on the 11th century monastery. But given the current crisis Greece finds itself in, the funding has been yet another cause for tension between the rebel monks and Constantinople.
Local sources say about twenty monks have barricaded themselves inside their monastery. Some supporters apparently joined them this afternoon. On the Esphigmenou monastery website, the monks are calling on faithful to support them and accuse the government of “giving the green light to the police to raid the monastery,” ignoring the fact that “this could cause bloodshed among the monks at Mount Athos.” .
July 29, 2013 After media reports that Esphigmenou monks at the Karyes has supposedly thrown petrol bombs, friends of Esphigmenou monastery respond that such is not the case. A video is provided of what supposedly transpired during this incident at the Karyes. The statement on the website is as such:
CORRECTING THE RECORD ON THE ATTACKS TODAY AGAINST THE ESPHIGMENOU MONKS
ATHENS, GREECE – Statement from John Rigas, President of Friends of Esphigmenou Monastery on Mt. Athos:
“I just spoke with one of the Esphigmenou monks, Father Sava, and want to correct the record about the ongoing attacks against the monastery today.
This morning, a group of around 20 large armed men armed attacked the Esphigmenou monastery building in Karyes, Mt. Athos where the monks were engaged in quiet prayer. This is the 12th day that the monastery has been under siege. The monks twice asked for the men to leave in peace after a city clerk attempted to serve them with eviction papers. Then the 20 large men attempted to smash their way into the monastery building with a construction bulldozer. As you can see in the video, uniformed Greek police stood around while a bulldozer attacked the property and attempted to smash down the front door:
This bulldozer came within 15 centimeters of killing a defenseless monk (who was behind the door and did sustain injuries) with its steel blade .
Contrary to media reports, they did NOT throw any bombs. I specifically asked Fr. Sava about these alleged “bombs” and he said that they do not have bombs and did not throw any bombs. It appears Greek government officials are trying to cover up their complicity in these lawless and criminal activities by spreading false reports to media outlet now that their nefarious activity has been exposed. The video of the attack shows that there is no evidence of bombs or aggressive action by the monks.
UPDATE: More than 80 armed Greek police currently surround monastery building filled with peaceful monks who only want to be left alone to pray. Now the government has cut off their water supply. The monks continue to pray for peace and ask for the prayers of the faithful and appeal to the Mother of God for protection.
Monks at Esphigmenou have already died at the hands of the government due to lack of food, water and medical supplies. Now the government almost killed a monk today with a bulldozer. The Greek government needs to focus on getting its economy back on track — wasting taxpayer Euros on persecuting innocent monks needs to stop today.”
The monks are supported by my synod. Sending supplies in secret because the government wants them to leave. For years we have had to sneak onto Athos because the EP will not allow us to visit. They wont even let us visit any of the monasteries.
Here is the BBC report on the situation, reported several years ago. The man in the white shirt is from Chicago.
Please pray for the monks, for they are persecuted and slandered.
With all due respect, 'ipakouei' or 'obedience' is one of the hallmarks of Orthodox monasticism--obedience to one's spiritual father and of course, bishop.
Just because the EP speaks to the Pope, this is reason for all the histrionics, and lack of obedience? Or is it a calendar that is creating all the fuss? Do friendly discussions with a fellow Christian and following a different calendar really warrant the passions of all this? Will they make a difference in one's salvation?
P.S...That is not to say that I think the situation is being properly handled on either side.
May peace and love and the desire for communication to their Bishop, the Patriarch, enlighten their hearts and bring this sad and unfortunate situation which has befallen them to a good and God pleasing closure.
No one likes seeing the painful ramifications of their rebellion anymore than Greeks liked seeing them march in the streets of Athens calling the Pope terrible names some years ago.
With all due respect, 'ipakouei' or 'obedience' is one of the hallmarks of Orthodox monasticism--obedience to one's spiritual father and of course, bishop.
Just because the EP speaks to the Pope, this is reason for all the histrionics, and lack of obedience? Or is it a calendar that is creating all the fuss? Do friendly discussions with a fellow Christian and following a different calendar really warrant the passions of all this? Will they make a difference in one's salvation?
Forgive me if I offend with my thoughts.
And forgive me, but it is much deeper than that. In ways we will never know. It is more than a calender, a visit to the pope, a relaxation of traditions such as confession, communion and other mysteries.
If you are like minded; have you visited one of our churches? Have you seen how we pray? I gather you attend services regularly?
I don't understand - you SEEM to be implying that if Alice hasn't attended one of your services/churches, then she is not attending services regularly (in her Church)?
I do understand where you are coming from. There is a "right-believing Ukrainian Catholic Church" across the pond that thinks very much like those monks and your synod.
Is the way your synod prays something that you put on for a show? No, obedience is key here - in Orthodoxy and in Catholicism.
The calendar issue is a biggie, as you know. I remember how my own family was divided over it. If you didn't follow the Old Calendar, then you were a "traitor." (It was felt that to call someone "heretic" for going over to the new calendar was letting them off too easily . . .).
I understand the Assyrian Church has a patriarch who separated from the Church of the East because of the . . . calendar issue.
There are RC trads whose flesh is likewise irked at the thought of any pope (especially legitimate ones) praying with an "orthodox" "patriarch."
This reminds me of the (true) story of an Orthodox bishop who visited Mount Athos and because the monks at the particular monastery he was staying at judged his beard to have been cropped too short (can you imagine such a bishop daring to enter a temple like that?) he was told to stand in the back during the All-Night Vigil.
A holy Elder of that monastery, acclaimed for his sanctity by one and all, later approached the monks and asked them why the bishop was standing in the back. When he was told why, the Elder became angry and said, "That bishop is a holy man of God! I saw white doves flying over his head all night!"
Obviously, those monks were zealous in attending services, keeping beards long etc. But were they as zealous at reading and meditating on the Gospel?
This reminds me of the (true) story of an Orthodox bishop who visited Mount Athos and because the monks at the particular monastery he was staying at judged his beard to have been cropped too short (can you imagine such a bishop daring to enter a temple like that?) he was told to stand in the back during the All-Night Vigil.
A holy Elder of that monastery, acclaimed for his sanctity by one and all, later approached the monks and asked them why the bishop was standing in the back. When he was told why, the Elder became angry and said, "That bishop is a holy man of God! I saw white doves flying over his head all night!"
Obviously, those monks were zealous in attending services, keeping beards long etc. But were they as zealous at reading and meditating on the Gospel?
What a beautiful story. It gave me goose bumps.
A beautiful statement! We should not judge.
When Elder Porphyrios, considered a modern day saint and mystic, was crossing the street in modern day Athens one day, his companion turned to him judgmentally after seeing a pretty young woman scantily dressed for the summer. The Elder responded that he should not judge her for her clothing because her soul was pure!
He also went on to say that in time, she herself would mature and realize that her clothing was not appropriate and would change.
Yes, you do worship beautifully in the traditional Greek sense. (I am assuming that the traditions are what you refer to as 'your faith'.)
The Athonite monks who are not in rebellion to the EP also worship beautifully in the traditional Greek sense--monasteries like Simonopetra and Vatopedi.
I have not been to Mt. Athos (though my husband has), but I have been to the Athonite monasteries of North America, infact, on many occasions. They mirror the monastic tradition of Athos to a 'T'.
Again, I pray for the peace which only Jesus Christ can offer--peace of spirit.
The saints of the Orthodox Church, in similar situations, would retreat to fast and pray for God's will and guidance.
When Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi was wrongfully persecuted by atheists in the Greek government and put into prison and slandered last year, Russian brethren were upset as well as the faithful in many countries, but they tried to communicate civilly by letters, and they also signed a petition to the Greek government. It took a long while. The persecution continued.
However, Father Ephraim's monks said nothing. They fasted and prayed.
After almost a year he was released. The prisoners in the infamous Korydallos prison said that they were sad to see him go. Rather than be bitter, the Elder ministered to those citizens who are most hurting, those who have committed crimes and are incarcerated. Those that visited him said that Korydallos had become like a monastery! The prisoners said that they were blessed to have had him amongst them to give them hope and consolation of Christ and His Church. Perhaps this was God's plan? When humility is in the soul, the Holy Spirit works through it.
Elder Ephraim never spoke passionately in anger or bitterness about what had happened to him. He accepted his wrongful imprisonment with humility and grace.
You know, all the Pharisees were not just in biblical times. They are alive and well today. I am all for order, obedience and upholding tradition. However, some of these folks are so legalistic they would make the Latin Scholastics proud.
You're right. The headline headline is ridiculous. It should read, "Prayers and patience run out. Patriarch seeks to reestablish canonical and legal order at Monastery. Schismaic squatters resist civil authorities."
I doubt that Vatican and Italian authorities would have been as patient had part of the Vatican been seized by schismatics.
As predicted, the peanut gallery derails the conversation.
I said nothing to offend Alice. My statement remains true. She simply sees it from a different perspective. I did not insult her or question her attendance.
I quoted her on obedience. That is what I found puzzling. Her knowledge of their obedience. Chad
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