Free Republic

ATHENS: Four Moldovan women accidentally violated a 1,000-year-old ban on women entering the all male monastic community of Mount Athos, when they were left on Greek shores by human traffickers. Police said on Monday the women -- aged between 27 and 32 -- as well as a 41-year-old Moldovan man were smuggled from Turkey by boat to the Greek Orthodox community of 20 monasteries, long off limits to women. The reached land on Sunday. "They told police and the monks they were sorry but they couldn't have known this was a no-women area," said a police officer, who declined to...

Has Prince Charles found his true spiritual home on a Greek rock? Visits spark claims of royal's commitment to Orthodoxy Helena Smith in Athens Wednesday May 12, 2004 The Guardian On Monday night a resplendent yacht docked at the watery entrance to the world's only monastic republic. A middle-aged man, followed by two bodyguards, stepped on to the jetty of the peninsula in northern Greece and into the "state" known variously as Mount Athos, Aghio Oros and the Holy Mount. A few monks in black robes and pillar-box hats stood waiting, but, under orders to keep the identity of this...

FRIDAY, 19 MARCH 2004 FIDEL CASTRO PLANS TO VISIT MOUNT ATHOS Thessaloniki, 16 March 2004 (16:40 UTC+2) Cuban President Fidel Castro's close associate Eusebio Leal will be in Thessaloniki in May to prepare the Cuban leader's visit to the monastic community of Mount Athos in Chalkidiki, northern Greece. President Castro has also accepted the invitation by Thessaloniki Mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos to visit the city given that fact that Thessaloniki and Havana will become twinned cities very soon. According to Thessaloniki newspaper “Angelioforos”, the Cuban government confirmed President Castro's intention to visit Thessaloniki and Mount Athos after the visit to Cuba...