Legal status and organization of monastic community of Mount Athos after the First Balkan War

Abstract

The end of the First Balkan War and the Greek occupation of the Holy Mountain opened a new chapter in its history. In the period between the two Balkan wars, the Conference of the Ambassadors in London discussed the future international legal position of the Holy Mountain and on its internal organization. The Athonite Community contributed to the conference by sending resolutions in which they express their opinion relating to the status of their community. The division between the monks led to the appearance of two different approaches to the problem. The first group of monks supported the existing legal order and insisted on the recognition of Greek sovereignty over the Holy Mountain. The second group of monks demanded reforms of existing organization and establishing of international authorities over the peninsula. During the period of the two Balkan wars (1912-13) the international position of Mount Athos was not regulated. The most important but also the most disturbing consequence of the events that are the subject of this study, is the existence of deep divisions among the monks of the Holy Mountain.

Keywords

• Mount Athos
• Russia
• Greece
• London Conference of 1912-13
• Organization of Monasticism