According to mythology the name Athos belongs to a Thracian giant. During the conflict between the Gods and the Giants, Athos threw a huge rock against God Poseidon, but the rock slipped through his fingers and fell to the sea, creating a huge block of land which is now Mount Athos. In a different version of that story, it was Poseidon who threw the rock against Athos. The rock crushed Athos and buried him underneath. This rock was called Mount Athos. Up to the 3rd century B.C., there were quite a few small Greek towns in the peninsula. Later, for unknown reasons, these towns fell into decay or were destroyed. As a result, the area remained deserted for many centuries.
According to tradition, the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist, on their way to visit Lazarus in Cyprus, encountered a stormy sea that forced them to temporarily seek refuge in the port which is now the Holy Monastery of Ivira. The Virgin Mary, admired the wild beauty of the place and asked God to give her the mountain as a present. Then the voice of our Lord was heard saying: Let this place be your lot, your garden and your paradise, as well as a salvation, a haven for those who seek salvation. Since then, Mount Athos is considered as “The Garden of the Virgin Mary”. In the 5th century AD, the first monks came to Mount Athos, who -disappointed from everyday communal life- found this beautiful and uninhabited place to be the ideal location for worshiping God.
Mount Athos state: According to the old customs and the bill of rights, Mount Athos is a self governed territory of the Greek state (regarding its religious aspect it is subject to the Ecumenical Patriarch).
The executive authority is exercised by the four members of Holy Supervision, whereas the legislative authority is exercised by the twenty members of the Holy Assembly, to which all monasteries are subject. The Superior of the Holy Supervision represents the first monastery in hierarchical order and is called Protos (First) or Protoepistatis (Fist Supervisor). All members are elected by absolute democratic procedures by the monks. The political leader of Mount Athos is elected by the Greek State and is subject to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Karyes is the administrative of Mount Athos. Karyes is a peculiar small picturesque area, located at an altitude of 370 meters. In fact, it is the capital of the monastic community of Mount Athos, home of Proton (First), Holy Supervision, Holy Assembly. Also, Karyes hosts a Police Station, a Local Clinic, a post office etc. In the middle of the peninsula and with a magnificent view over the eastern Aegean coasts, Karyes is a community of residences (konaki) with workshops, shops, hostels and restaurants.
The monks follow the old Julian calendar (13 days later) and the Byzantine time (O during the sunset, apart from the monks of Monastery Iviron, who count the hours based on the sunrise). At sunset all monasteries are closed. They open again at sunrise. Before sunrise, the bell-ringer of every monastery sounds the bell rhythmically, to call his brothers to the matins.
Mount Athos architecture & art: The architecture of the monasteries is of the typical Byzantine monastery morphology. All of them have great walls to protect them from invasions either by pirates or other conquerors.
The buildings have cells at the top part and are built in safe places with extra walls and towers. In the middle of the building complex there is a courtyard, which includes the “katholiko” (cardinal monastery), the trapeza” (refectory), “phiale” (the basin for the blessing of the waters) and chapels. Next to them the bell-towers, the domes and the cypresses pierce high in the sky.
The “archontaki” (hostel) is a neat, typical place, found in every monastery. Every monastery has an “arsanas , a small port, to which the monks have access via a really picturesque, but tiresome path.
For almost one thousand years Mount Athos remains the greatest, authentic Byzantine Greek cultural center. Many hagiographers, such as Manuel Panselinos, Theophanis the Cretan, Michael Astrapas, created masterpieces of art. Besides the paintings there are also numerous portable icons in the cultural treasure of Mount Athos. Some of them are extremely old and it is believed that they are miraculous or that they were not made by humans.
There are also mosaics and sculptures. Some miniatures are unique, made of jewels, ivory, wood, gold, etc. It is also worth-mentioning that the treasures of Mount Athos include other pieces of art, such as holy crosses, unique covers of the Evangel, golden and silver chalices, holy vessels, epitaphs weaved or quilted with gold, valuable vests, etc.