TAÏGAPRESSE IMAGES

Civil War in the Holy Mount (Athos)

Rebel forces occupy a monastery here and don’t intend to move. They are ready to resist any kind of embargo, with food to last two years and enough faith to sustain them through utter isolation, which is in fact their usual lifestyle. They have munitions to fight with : " bullets " of faith, represented by the 300 knots in the prayer chains that each rebel monk wears.

Photographer
Nikos Pilos
Country
Greece
Published
June 2003
Images
24
Reference
328-50061
The Father Paulos is holding the black flag with the white cross, Esfigmenon's Monastery and zealots' symbol. The meaning of this flag…328_50061_01 Inside view of Esfigmenon Monastery. The building has a square plan with three levels and it is shaped as a fortress with numerous…328_50061_02 Father Paul on his way to the watch tower. After the recent bitter events when the police tried to force the monks out of the monastery,…328_50061_03 The Father Isaias at 04:30 just before he went in the church for the morning (early) mass. He is 55 years old and has already spent 32…328_50061_04 The Father Grigorios The Agianitis is praying on his bed. He is holding on his hands his pray-beads which reach the floor. He is already…328_50061_05 The novice (apprentice) monk Vladimiros (he is Russian and he is one of the two monks with a foreign origin) is walking in front of the…328_50061_06 Monk-guard of the main entrance of Esfigmenon Monastery. The surveillance of the main entrance is one of the monk's duties. The guard…328_50061_07 The Father Avraam is the person in charge of making the bell in the convent sound as well as for the belfry conservation, which is…328_50061_08 Father Dionysios the Agianitis (He is already 82 years old and has been a monk for over 60 years remembers that since the time of the…328_50061_09 After the dinner the monks keep the rests of their bread to put it into a specific basket. It is a sign of economy but as well of a…328_50061_10 Monks during the ceremony in the cathedral church of Analipsis (Assumption) in the Esfigmenon Monastery. A regular day of a Monk is…328_50061_11 During the celebration of the mass, the monks pray on their knees, asking for forgiveness.328_50061_12 The Father Chrisostomos is carrying wood. Because of the lack of electricity and modern means of transportation, the most part of the…328_50061_13 The Father Vasilios is a carpenter, and occasionally he may take the 2 horses and 5 mules (the rules of Agio-Oros do not allow the…328_50061_14 The Father Paulos and the Father Nilo take care of the bees' colony of the Esfigmenon Monastery. The convent owns 50 of such beehives…328_50061_15 The Father Isidoros, the Father Isaak and the Father Antipa are pruning the vines in the vineyards own by the Esfigmenon Monastery. When…328_50061_16 The Father Spiridon is washing his clothes in the open area of the kitchen. Is the only place where somebody can find hot water. As…328_50061_17 The Father Dionysios, who is 70 years old, is the tailor of the Esfigmenon Monastery. He is one of the best vestments' tailors in Agio…328_50061_18 The bread's knead is a ritual for the monks of the Esfigmenon Monastery. They start to knead after the morning mass, at about 04:30.…328_50061_19 Monks cleaning the fishes. The food's preparation is a ritual and a common work, which strengthen the brotherhood between the monks and…328_50061_20 In front of the oven, in the Esfigmenon Monastery, the Father Isaak takes care of the fire. As there is no electricity, the oven and the…328_50061_21 In Esfigmenon Monastery the monks use oil lamps, as there is not electricity, for lighting the convent. The monastic life is based on…328_50061_22 Under the light of an oil lamp, the Father Efrem and the Father Antonio are eating in the refectory of the Esfigmenon Monastery. The…328_50061_23 Esfigmenou's monk is looking for octopus in the rocks close to the port. Fishing is an essential duty because fish is a basic element in…328_50061_24
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