The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-26
NQNkSONM MI AIHAS
Alarmed BY WAR
Their Most Precious Treas
uressHaye Been Sent
Away.

UN4ENNEHEtG4fE Ef..-WH N.NL Es-#t--uU.
KKRYES, Chalcidic Peninsula, Mac
adonta, JAM 2s.@(Corespopdence of
TbetAssoctated Press)-TheS monks OF
Mts8Athos have appealed OF the Holy
Mother Church OF Russia for protec-
ton Disturbed in their quiet un-
worldly lives By the approach Of the
world war to d BaIkansbattleicld sey.
eral months ago, the Holy Synod OF
the Community, which constitutes the
thoroughly democratic government or
thesperiIthreatening them. They are
not;ignorahtsot warstAt one time their
convent walls we're mounted with
cannon and In the early part OF the
last century they took, with sad re-
su1ts:fo r themselves, a prominent part
In the Greek war for independence
from Ottoman rule.
War. therefore, is a very positive
horror to the monks Of. Mi. Athos. SO
afterSduef elaboration; t~hey!decided to
send two ofitheir presidents 'tof whom
there are four named in 1rotatton from
each of the5 converts each year, to
Athens, to layttheir fears before the
representative Of the secular head OF
the Greek Church, In pursuance OF
thiss decision armed; with. a. Loaf OF
black bread, a little paper OF salt and
an fkon OF great beauty, newly paint.
ed with loving monkish care, the two
black.robed elders Of the ancient re-
ligious republic eft the protected
peace Of: their cliffs and walls, sea-
Eirt, and ivertured the troubled wa
tiers Of the Aegean to put their dini'
culties before Prince D%enidofH, I'm.
peftals Russian Minister to Greece.
The secular head and most powerful
sdefender ofytheaG Greek Church In the
sWortd outside tofaMt. Athos Is the
Emperor Of all the Russias. To him
in5&person they could not go. The
way was cut OF. Neither through
Bulgaria IN arms nor by way OF the
besieged Blosphortts could these lie.
gatesEotsMt. Athos come to their next
friend and protector. So they went
as best they could to his representa-
tive. dressed In their ample, flowing
robes, their pot hats like outworn.
titles turned upside down, and their
uncut hair and patrIarchial boards.
And the Russian Minister received
them, gaveathem food and drink in
hisSexqnisite spalace in Athens in re-
turn for their bread and salt, and
treating them with great respect as
sured them their case would be put
before the Emperor himself, and that
taecontingent3of Russian marines would
b iseHttofguArd the penipsulatff they
had "a scome;a1f the swayGfrom Arch
angelic get there: He told themfnot
toJfear, for the Bulgarians, too, are
lof the Greek Church and themselves
have a. convent all of their own on
ME- Athos and IL was SCARCELY con-
sceiyable that-even; the least scrupulous
Of Bulgarian "komitadjis"" or bandits
should lay hostile hands upon the holy
thingsso the Church.
But whatShas bothered the monks
fof$Mt.: Athos has not been the Bulgar.
fians. The monks in a vague sort OF
way know their treasures of golden
Images, brilliant studded altar uten-
ssiIs,S manuscripts centuries and cen
turtles old. are sufficient to tempt al
most any man. They fear, not per-
haps an organized attack, but a raid
aEainst. which their hired guard OF
fifty soldiers would be helpless. SO