Holy Mount Athos is one of the main Orthodox shrines. It is located at an altitude of 2033 m above sea level on the peninsula of the same name in Greece. Power in the holy land belongs to the Holy Council, the executive body of this monastic state. The land area is guarded by armed men.
It is necessary
- - Greek visa;
- - Passport;
- - The blessing of the confessor on the letterhead of the church;
- - Diamonitirion (permission to visit the monastery).
Instructions
Step 1
If you are a woman, then you will not be allowed to Mount Athos. This is an ancient custom, and for breaking it, you can get from two to twelve months in prison. There are many legends when women, trying to get into the monasteries of Athos, were punished by nature itself by a strange coincidence. For those of the fair sex who unknowingly came to Athos (to accompany husbands, fathers or brothers), there are numerous campings on the shore, where you can temporarily stop and wait for your male companion.
Step 2
In addition to a Greek visa (to get to Greece), you will need the so-called diamonithirion - a special permit to visit Mount Athos. It is issued to men of any denomination just before leaving for the Holy Mountain at the office of the pilgrimage service in Ouranoupoli.
Step 3
You can try to order Diamonithirion yourself - with a positive decision, the Pilgrims Bureau of the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in Thessaloniki will issue a general permit to stay on Athos for four days and spend the night in any monastery. The decision to issue an individual permit is made by the monasteries themselves. As a rule, the period of validity of this permit is not limited, and you can only spend the night in the monastery that issued the Diamonithirion.
Step 4
In practice, diamonithirion can be arranged with the help of a travel agency. To do this, you need to receive the blessing of a confessor and pass an interview with a church representative in the direction of a travel agency.
Step 5
After paperwork in Ouranoupoli, you will be taken by ferry from the port to the Holy Mountain. There you will be introduced to the rules of staying in the monastery and placed in the monastery hotel. While on the holy land, you will participate in the life of the monastery - help with the housework, attend all services, and dine at the same table with the monks.
