Athon is the largest center of Orthodox monasticism in the world, and women have been prohibited from entering its territory for over a thousand years. This is not discrimination, but a special tradition based on religious principles and historical decrees.

Why the Ban Exists

The ban on women visiting Athon has two main reasons closely linked to each other.

The Mother of God's удел: according to tradition, the ship on which the Mother of God was sailing caught a storm and landed on the shore of Athon. Struck by the beauty of these places, she asked God to make Athon her earthly удел. Since then, the Holy Mountain has been considered the garden of the Mother of God, and only she represents her sex on this land.

Preservation of the monastic struggle: Athon is a place of special prayerful seclusion for male monks. The presence of women, according to the monks of Athon, may distract them from spiritual life and create temptations. Therefore, the ban is intended to preserve a special form of monastic life, not to violate anyone's rights.

History and Laws

The ban was not an instantaneous decision, but formed over centuries.

In the eleventh century, the tradition was officially established in 1405 by an edict of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos. It was also forbidden at that time to be present on the peninsula and domestic animals of female gender.

In modern times, in 1953, a law was adopted in Greece according to which a woman who consciously violated the ban and entered Athon could be subject to imprisonment for a term of two to twelve months. Women are also prohibited from approaching the coast of Athon closer than five hundred meters.

Attempts to abolish: when Greece joined the European Union, the European Parliament tried to challenge this ban, but without success. Formally, Athon is private property of monasteries, which allows it to maintain its special status.

How Women Can Touch the Shrines

Although direct access is closed, women still have the opportunity to touch the Athonian shrines.

Sea cruise: the most common way is a boat trip that circles the Holy Mountain along the coast, not getting closer than the permitted five hundred meters. During such cruises, monks get on board with the permission of the abbots and bring miraculous icons and relics. Women can pray and touch the shrines directly on the deck.

Land border: it is possible to approach the border of Athon by land and pray, standing at the foot of the Holy Mountain, without crossing its boundary.

Exceptions to the Rules

History knows a few cases when the ban was violated or temporarily lifted.

Refugees: during Turkish rule and the Civil War in Greece from 1946 to 1949, monks gave shelter to women and children fleeing from disasters.

Lawbreakers: in 1953, Maria Poimenidou spent three days on Athon dressed in men's clothes. This case became the reason for the adoption of the official law on the ban. In 1933, the winner of the \"Miss Europe\" contest, Aliki Diplarakou, also secretly visited Athon in the guise of a man, but later publicly repented.

Thus, the ban on women visiting Athon is a millennium-old tradition based on deep religious beliefs, which is strictly observed to this day.

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