In search of Alexander the Great in Greece: Mount Athos (3)

Is there a country more mysterious than the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos? A small country which prohibits access to women - and even female animals, apart from the hens which provide the eggs and therefore the egg yolk necessary to pigment the icons. But we can bet that the does not mind the borders and stroll in the vast forest!

To discover the origin of its name, you have to go back in time and space to the Gigantomachy, the fight between Giants. According to Greek mythology, the giant Athos would have thrown a huge boulder in the face of the god Poseidon. But he misses it, the rock falls into the sea and forms a mountain…. Mount Athos which rises to more than 2000 meters.

A site that Alexander the Great had to visit, of course. When he came to Mount Athos, he was offered to carve his effigy at the top. But it never happened.
The apostle John also passes by there accompanied by the Virgin Mary. So Mount Athos is also nicknamed the garden of Mary, the only woman to be allowed on the Holy Mountain. “Holy” would also refer to her presence. And it is the visit of Mary which would be at the origin of the ban on women: she would have asked that this place be dedicated to her…. What a feeble excuse....

There are many legends and stories surrounding the Monastic Republic which spans almost 33,000 hectares of Aktè, the easternmost peninsula of Chalkidiki. It is a mountain range, covered with Mediterranean forests, olive trees, vines. Wine from the republic is also very expensive ...

The presence of Christian hermits dates back at least to the 7th century, when Emperor Constantine IV gave them the territory. The first monastery, that of the Great Lavra of Athos, was founded in 963 by Athanasius the Athonite. In 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne confirms the legal status of the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos which even has a small "capital", Karyes, inland. In the monasteries and hermitages, live some 2000 Greek Orthodox monks , Bulgarians, Romanians, Russians, Serbs and others nationalities.

Each year, the 20 Orthodox monasteries attract the faithful and curious from all over the world. But access is strictly regulated: per day, only 100 Orthodox visitors and 10 others are admitted. But first, they have to apply for a special visa at the Pilgrims office in Thessaloniki. Authorization is granted for a specific date and for a period of 4 days. You have to collect the precious sesame, the diamonitirion, in Ouranoupoli (about 2 hours by car from Thessaloniki) before you can board the ferry that runs along the coast and serves the various small ports of the monasteries.

The visitors being all considered as pilgrims, the monks offer them hospitality. It is certainly an unforgettable experience, especially since the monasteries are full of works of art: old frescoes, icons, goldsmith's objects, illuminated manuscripts ... Since 1988, the Monastic Republic has been listed as a World Heritage Site as an "artistic center" of "outstanding universal value". It's sad not to be able to admire these masterpieces!

If the female presence is not desired in the republic so as not to tempt the monks, the monks do not hesitate to come and moor at the cruise ship to sell some souvenirs…. Nor come with their 4x4 to Ouranoupoli on business ... Temptation?

As for us, we did like tourists from all over the world and boarded one of the boats that skirt the republic of Mount Athos. Despite the obligatory distance to respect, it is an excellent way to admire the six monasteries visible from the sea. Binoculars allow you to discover chapels, annex buildings, greenhouses higher up on the steep slopes.

Major restoration works are being carried out in all the monasteries.

The highlight of this cruise is the approach to Mount Athos, the pyramid-shaped holy mountain that rises to an altitude of 2,030 meters. 

Three hours later, we are back in Ouranoupoli. Failing to share a meal with the monks, we have lunch at Skites, a charming little hotel-restaurant. ( www.skites.gr )

The rooms are simple but with comfortable bedding, the kitchen gives pride of place to tasty traditional dishes such as sardines in vine leaves or even potatoes with seafood.

Dinner with the saints

But we still had our “Mont-Athos” meal. At the Arcotel Athena Pallas Village in Sithonia, the peninsula in the center of Chalkidiki. For the needs of a film, a miniature monastery has been built on its site. After the shooting, the owner, Babis Pournaris, a former architect who built many churches, decided to keep the building and offer an extraordinary gastronomic offer: dinner with the saints.

Inside the Hierion, murals represent the archangels Gabriel and Michael and other saints such as Bartholomew, Thomas or even Nikiforos.

Water flows from a fountain.

The scent of incense adds to the ambiance.

A few tables are set with crystal, embroidered napkins. “In this Byzantine atmosphere, as you can find in an Orthodox church in Meteora or Mount Athos, we want to offer a different experience. "

The chef has thus created different, healthy recipes, inspired by the monasteries of Mount Athos. Dishes as simple but extremely tasty as an omelet with herbs. Each dish is served with its own wine, including several vintages vinified at Mont Athos.

This timeless moment is also accessible to visitors who are not hotel guests.

https://www.acrotel.gr/hotel/athena-pallas-village/