The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-04-26

Of a peninsula iutting into the
Aegean sea, the mountain shoots up more than
5000 feet, and Its peak Of white limestone Is q
Landmark for many nliies out to sea. The old
Creek sgaHa Tas thas ha E1aH1 Athaz hurled
this mountain at the gods upon Olympus Dut
that Il dropped back and fell at the eage OF Tug
sea.
The entire peninsula. of which Mount. Atnos
forms the southernmost point, Is about 1orIy
miles long and from four to seven miles IN WAN,
cut by numerous ravines and by long arms OF
the sea- The narrow isthmus which connects the
mountain with the main peninsula was cut py a
canal built by Xerxes when ne came TO anVade
Greece and traces OF the canal are still visible,
though 1t has long since become dry land
The slopes OF Mount Athos have for many cen
turtles been the home of monks and hermits OF
the Greek church. Most Of the monasteries
which cling to the steep slopes OF the mountain
were founded by Byzantine emperors; one OF
the Oldest the monastery of st. Laura has been
in existence since 968. There are still several
thousand monks living upon the mountain, sup
porting themselves by filling hillside farms and
living very much their predecessors did
thousand years ago.
In 1900 years no woman has been allowed to
set foot on Athos. Few travellers come to
Athos; 1t lies out of the beaten track Of travel.
and the monks would not welcome intruders.
Since the fall OF the Byzantine empire and
constantinople in 1853, Athos has been nomi-
nally under Turkish rule The Turks, however,
have been liberal In their treatment Of the Greek
Catholic monks, and have permitted them prac-
tically to govern themselves. A council COM
posed of representatives OF the several monas-
teries has maintained law and order In the col
ony.
The comparatively few English and European
travellers whc have ever been to Athos unite in
enthusiastic praise of the natural beauties of the
place The steep sides of the mountains are heav
lily wooded with huge oak and chestnut trees,
while here and there pine and cypress give
touch of deeper color The roads wind in and
out along the mountain side, frequently afording
glimpses of the deep blue sea which frets at
Athos' feet
Through the Middle Ages the Athos monas-
teries were the treasure houses in which much
OF the learning and culture Of the Greeks was
preserved to the world. The monks must have
spent a world Of time patiently copying the
works of the old masters, and the libraries OF
Athos even today, contain much that is fascinat-
ing to the antiquarian and the booklover But
the monks themselves have fallen into sad igno-
rance the libraries of the monasteries are little
used and some of them have been permitted to
go completely to rack.
At Mount Athos. according to legend the Vir-
gin Mary and st. Thomas were wicked and then
YniracuIously saved; and since that day of grace
no female foot has been allowed to tread the
peninsula of Athos; indeed. since the eleventh
century no female animals whatever have been
permitted there. It is said that the only excep-
ton ever made TO this rule in the last five hun
dred years was in favor OF Lady stratford de
Radcliffe, and 1t is kept strictly that not only
must the whole population be masculine, but
hens even may not live Cd the rock, hence all
the eggs. OF which great number are consumed
are imported. The population of the Holy Noun
tain. called generally THE Garden Of the Moth
or OF Cod. is between six and seven thousand.
made up OF some three thousand monks and three
,r four thousand lay brothers. Most Of the
monks age Greeks. but there are also many Rus
slams, few. Roumanians, and some Bulgarians,
sarvians and Georgians, The Turks respected