Putin on Mount Athos Pilgrimage

BBC ^ | 9 Sept 2005 | Staff

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting the monastic community of Mount Athos in Greece, one of Orthodox Christianity's holiest sites. He is the first Russian leader to visit the male-only community, on a narrow, rocky peninsula east of Thessaloniki, Russian television reported.

The trip is part of Mr Putin's two-day visit to Greece.

Ahead of talks with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Mr Putin described Greece as a serious partner.

He said the two countries held similar positions on issues such as Cyprus and the Balkans, and that it was important to press ahead with energy projects such as a planned oil pipeline.

Multi-national community

Mr Putin arrived at the monastic harbour of Dafni on board a private yacht amid heavy security.

He was due to visit at least two of the site's 20 monasteries, one of which is Russian.

Vladimir Putin is on a two-day visit to Greece

This trip is his third attempt at visiting what is considered to be the cradle of Orthodox Christianity, the main religion in Russia.

His plan to visit last year had to be cancelled following the Beslan school siege. A previous attempt in 2001 was scrapped because of bad weather.

Mr Putin has openly embraced the Orthodox faith, despite having served as a KGB officer in Soviet times.

Some 1,500 monks live in the semi-autonomous monastic community, which is also known as Holy Mountain.

It houses Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian, as well as Russian, monasteries and monks are entitled to Greek and European citizenship regardless of their country of origin.

Women - even many female domestic animals - have not been allowed on the mountain since a decree banning women was issued by Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomachos in 1060.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Mount Athos is often considered an independent country - one of the micro-states of Europe.

[don-o]

Wow!

Putin is a very interesting man. Prepare for the usual invasion of Russophobes.

[oilfieldtrash]

I think it is fine that he is uniting the orthodox christian world.

[goldstategop]

From an atheist to a devout Orthodox Christian. That won't matter to those on FR who think Russkies once Communists, always Communists!

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Another interesting fact is that Prince Charles also makes pilgrimages there on a somewhat regular basis to engage in guided meditation with the monks.

[Tailgunner Joe]

It is Putin himself who refers to himself as a "Chekist," has said it would be "insincere" to criticize the KGB he was loyal to, wouldn't read a book by a Soviet defector because "I don't read books by people who have betrayed the Motherland," won't bury Lenin because "Many people link their whole lives with Lenin's name. For them his burial would mean that they had bowed down to false values, set themselves false tasks and lived in vain," denied the occupation of the Baltics and Poland, and said the collapse of the EVIL EMPIRE was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the Twentieth century.

He doesn't sound like he's changed at all to me.

[RightWhale]

Mt Athos may be the gateway to the secret base of the true rulers of the planet.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

You may be saying more than you realize.

[RightWhale]

It's tough to be serious about all these Conspiracies when you know about the Real One.

[GarySpFc]

For them his burial would mean that they had bowed down to false values, set themselves false tasks and lived in vain," denied the occupation of the Baltics and Poland, and said the collapse of the EVIL EMPIRE was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the Twentieth century.

Seeing you taking Putin's comment completely out of context makes me doubt if you ever made a commitment to Christ.