The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-28
MONKS OF MT. ATHOS
ASK PROTECTION
Disturbed BY Approach of World War,
They Decide to Send Two Repre-
sentatives to Athens.

haryes, Chalcldlc peninsula, Maeedo'
mia, Feb. 25.-The monks of Mt Athos
have appealed to the Holy Mother church
of Russia for protection. Disturbed in
their quiet, unworldly lives by the APP
preach of the world war to Balkan bat
| tlefield several months ago, the holy
synod of the community, which consti-
tutes the thoroughly democratic govern
ment of the 20 converts, long deliberated
the peril threatening them. They are
not ignorant of war. At one time their
convent walls were mounted with cam
non, and in the early part of the last
century they took, with sad results for
themselves, prominent part in the
Greek war for independence from Otto
man rule.
War, therefore, il a very positive hor-
ror to the monks OF Mt. Athos. So after
due deiberation, they decided TO send
two OF their presidents (of whom there
are four named in rotation from each of
the converts each YEAR to Athens, 10
lay their fears before the representative
OF the secular head of the Greek church.
In pursuance of this decision, armed with
a loaf OF black bread, little paper of
salt and an ikon Of great beauty, newly
painted with loving monkish care, the
two black ROBBED elders of the ancient re-
ligious republic left the protected peace
OF their cliffs and walls, sea -girt, and
hn 1nA - ha
Egean to put their difficulties before
Prince Demidofl, imperial Russian minis
ter to Greece. The secular head and
most powerful defender of the Greek
church in the world outside of Mt. Athos
is the emperor of all the Russias. To
him in person they could not go. The
way was cut off. Neither through Bull |
garia in arms nor by way of the beseged |
Bosphorous could these legates of Mt. |
Athos come to their next friend and pro-
tector. SO they went as best they could |
to his representative, dressed in their
ample, flowing robes, their pot hats like |
titles" turned upside down, and |
their uncut hair and patriarchal boards. |
And the Russian minister received them,
gave them food and drink in his ex-
quisite palace in Athens in return for
their bread and salt, and treating them
with great respect, assured them their
case would be put before the emperor
himself, and that contingent of Russian
marines would be sent TO guard the pen
nsula if they had TO come all the way
rom Archangel to get there. He told
hem not to fear for the Bulgarians, too,
Of he g,,, I'D hn.. I
ave a convent all of their own on Mt.
Athos; and it was scarcely conceivable
hat even the least scrupulous of Bulga Il
ian "komitadiis" or bandits should lay 1
iostile hands upon the holy things of the
hurch.
But what has bothered the monks of
IL. Athos has not been the Bulgarians.
he monks in a vague sort of way know
hat their treasures of golden images,
riliant studded altar utensils, manu-
cripts centuries and centuries old, are
efficient to tempt almost any man.
hey fear, not perhaps an organized at
ack, but raid against which their hired
uard OF so soldiers would be helpless.
o second deputation has just been
ispatched TO Athens, and some of the Z
lore precious OF their sacred possessions
their bits of the true cross their saint
/ mementoes of the holy founders of
he various converts, around which
urine after shrine has been built through
se ages have been placed in the seeur
v of the steel safe of the imperial Rus
an legation at Athens.
Certainly one of the most extraordi-
ary and beautiful sights of the whole
Grid is convent crowned Mt Athos. The
halcidic peninsula, stretched south into
re -Egean sea like three fingers Of a
eat hand, has the mountain itself as
&c nail on the easternmost finger. But
lie mountain is merely sort OF lofty Il
arble- white and oaken green landmark
the garlanded sides of which are hun d
eds of shrines and huts of individual a
The whole peninsula itself q
the garden ground Of 20 converts, most q
them either at the waters edge OF 8
rched high upon cliffs or mounted on
c terraced hillsides overlooking the wa -
r. Their architecture, their extraordi
ny setting, stages n scene for the pas
rby on the deck of coasting steamer
rely to be equalled in the entire world
ANbA NAftiu iiiR1As Ri Tue MNeAtEN stUAt " 4
e peninsula Is the monastery Of Kon-
amenities, possibly the oldest Of the
nvents and certainly one Of the most
.turesque. Its red roofs ana incredibly II
ty gray walls, Widowed like most OF
2 convent walls. only in their upper
If. rise from a ring OF expresses like
Try castle. Here and there near the
p OF ramparts that seem those Of
-tress, little bird cages Of square hay
ndows stick out. upheld by propping
,Odsn beams. The monastery was
Tnded hy Constans, son Of Constantine
! Great. early in the fifth century. no
? quite knows when. II still has a
.rtcr granted il hy the Byzantine en-
-or. Manuel Palselogus, 70 which the
perur's signature j. scrawled in rcd
ters. possibly red ink. possibly the
I'd 81 some animal
- -. II