The state herald., 1915-04-09

HHERE the white cowled peak
AI head of Mount Athos rises
into the serene turquoise
sky and looks down its
slopes. solemnly verdured by
dark forests and gardened by olive,
myrtle and rose, is the most remark
able republic in all the world, into
whose arcadian confines came again
the call of war-the worlds greatest
of wars.
This dominion, at all times on a
military footing to repel its one great,
human enemy. has passed through
many wars with pirate invaders, not
to mention the invasion of curiosity Of
the Byzantine empress. who insisted
upon visiting the place to the mortifi-
cation and scandal OF the good men
SO there is small wonder that Father
Bulatovitch, once a grim soldier, vol
unteered to go forth and fight for the
car.
Mount Athos is On the peninsula of
Saloniki. which territory Greece wrest-
ed from the Turks In the last war.
says the Louisville Courier-Journal.
There are twenty monasteries in the
republic. eleven villages and $50 her.
mitages. The population is composed
Of more than three thousand monks
and as many lay brothers. who are
classed as "wordlings." There is an
army of fifty Albanian guards sta
toned at the capital. Karyas, TO see
that no woman enters. And so rigid
is the bar against the weaker sex that
not even the female OF any animal
may be admitted.
10 Romantic Garden Spot.
Think OF this garden spot, where.
despite the iron impress OF celibacy.
there are romance and poetry in the
very air! There is mystery. too. for.
looking from the sea, the cloak OF the
dense forest that lies over the titanic
shoulders Of the holy mount is full OF
blue and black shadow and silence:
then. grimly medieval. clinging to the
side OF the elevation. even In the
bright sunlight losing none OF its i'm.
pressive character, is the mysterious
monastery" OF Simon Peter
Mount Athos might have still
drowsed In the serenity OF its recent
dream picture days had not Father
Bulatovitch. who at one time held a
commission in the army OF the great
white car. been stirred by the mar.
tial spirit and declared his willingness
to 20 to war. He had been an officer
Of the guards and as abbot of mon.
astery brought something OF the mill.
tary discipline there,
He made II clear he did not intend
giving up his religious orders. but. In
Imitation OF the crusading monks at
the time OF the Tartar invasion In the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
would head his troops with his uni.
form covered by his priestly vest.
ments. He may be fighting now. or
he may have been mustered In at
last for the long twilight march.
But even the monks who have been
trained In the paths OF peace arc not
unfamiliar with war. They have II M
an inspiring tradition. for nil OF these
monasteries In the beginning were
armed forts to repel the invasion Of
pirates, The Russian monastery. four
hours by muleback from tho capital.
Ia the best example OF this defensive
style.
Mount Athos . Place Of Thrills.
IA you approach" tells recent
visitor. you arc impressed and be.
wildcred by that strange fortress sane
tunry. with Its bristling array OF bas.
tons. towers, turrcts. rcdans and para
pets. all stained. riddicd and crcnel.
lated by the action OF time and TEN.
pest. An far ns the eye can see there
In no opening anywhere along the
whole oxpanso OF walls. Wooden gni.
lcrics project beneath the roof, but
they arc OF comparatively recent con.
struotion. having been added since the
pirates ceased TO harry the holy noun.
tain. They nro painted defiant
blood red. Tho whole mass OF masonry
rllngs ncrobatic.iikc 10 rock. which
Ia covered with luxuriant vcrdurc."
In this curious republic there nro
Russian monks and Greek monks and
scryian monks and bulgarian monks.
Though peaceful In general effect.
Mount Athoa has bcon n place OF
thrills. Not long ago tho Bulgarianb
made nm effort to seize the Scrylan
monastery iiilcndar and annex Il for
their own monks. Tho matter caused
intense Indignation In belgrade. and
was adjusted with some difficulty by
tho governing council OF monks nj