Gilpin observer., 1913-04-10


Aegean sea- the mountain shoots up more than
5000 feet and its peak of white limestone Is a
landmark for many miles out to sea- The oio
Greek legend that the giant Athos hurled
this mountain at the gods upon Olympus. but
that It dropped back and fell at the edge OF the
The entire peninsula, Of which Mount Athos
forms the southernmost point. is about forty
miles long AM rom four to seven miles In width.
cut by hume .s ravines and by long arms OF
the sea. The narrow isthmus which connects the
mountain with the main peninsula was cut by
canal built by Xerxes when he came to invade
Greece. and traces Of the canal are still visible
though It 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
founded by Byzantine emperors; one OF
the Oldest, the monastery of st. Laura has been
in existence since 96s. There still several
thousand monks living upon the mountain, sup
porting themselves by tilling hillside farms and
living very much their predecessors did a
thousand years ago.
In 1900 years woman has been allowed to
set foot on Athos. Few travellers ever come to
Athos; It 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 1453 Athos has been nomi
nally under Turkish rule. The Turks howevef.
have been liberal in their treatment Of the Greek
Catholic monks. and have permitted them prac
tically to govern themselves. 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 who 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 affording
gmpses 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 IL fascinat
ing to the antiquarian and the booklover But
the monks themselves have fallen into sad igno-
rance; the libraries Of the monasteries 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 we're wrecked and then
miraculously saved: and since tat day Of grace
female foot has been allowed to tread the
peninsula Of Athos indeed, since the eleventh
century 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 in favor of Lady Stratford de
Redcfe. and It is kept so strictly that not only
must the whole population be masculine but
hens even may not live the rock, hence all
the eggs. OF which great number consumed.
imported The population of the Holy Noun
tain. called generally "The Garden Of the Moth
or OF God" IL between six and seven thousand,
made up OF some three thousand monks and three
four thousand lay brothers. Most of the
monks are Creeks but there also many Rus
sans a few Roumanians, and some Bulgarians,
servians and Georgians. The Turks respected