Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-09-26

poses or for others commended r.
generosity of the fathers.
How Mouat Athos Is Governed
In Karyes sits the Most Blessed .
sembly of the Sacred Mount-or nj S
briefly, the KinOtis--a very Interest," /.
body. Mount Athos has ALWAYS s.
joyed special privileges, whether md &,
Byzantine emperors, Turkish sultans s.
It's present suzerain, the king of Gree d.
and the mOnasteries have ALWAYS n, ss
their own peninsula. Of these I'M s.
are now twenty, and they admins f.
their common affairs through parI d.
ment even more venerable than that !,
London, if that body be dated from e.
recognition of the elective princip Il
Each monastery annually elects a H.
resentative to this parliament, who &
cupies at Karyes a house belonging Is
his abbey.
These houses preserve the memo
of the long Turkish regime, in tha.
they are known by the Turkish nan
/
of konak-mansion. Always room
and substantial, and sometimes han &
some, they and the gardens in who
they stand add not little to the Al
pearanCe Of the diminutive capital II
addition to the KNOTS, which Is 1
deliberative, legislative and iudiciaa
assembly, there is a smaller executiSl
council of five, called the Epistasia
The parliament house Of Karyes 4
not very imposing structure, but
makes a picturesque group in the cd
ter of the town, with the cathedral
the community and the square q
! tower beside it. Far more imposi1I
is the pretorian guardsman, who stand
at the gate. Four Of these are a
tached to the service Of parIiameA
while larger standing army Of Y
men, called serdars, scour the lonel
trails Of the PENINSULA sort Of on
World Northwest Mounted.
When the fve-fOld executive d
AthOs signs a document, each OF fOu
of the members. produces a quarter d
the republics seal, while the fifth, til
| secretary, locks the fragments into
handle which he keeps in his posses
sion. Here is a precedent for check
| and balances in governmental ATTAIN
that extends into the distant past
The visitor who reaches Karyes ha
yet to see the real atmosphere
/ Athos, for it Is for the mOnasterie
that this bit of inescapable gOVernmen
machinery exists. At least one Of tn
monasteries must be visited and Their
can be no better selection, perhaps
than Vatopethi. The trail, narrow an
stony, leads through lonely wood
first slanting up the steep backbone
the peninsula, affording romantic view
of the Aegean and certain gray m0na'
terry towers at its edge; then Windln
down a long amphitheatrical slope
the bay, where VatOpethi stands lik
medieval castle.
Life in a Monastery.
It's distant air Of grimness change
as one comes down through the DIV
yards about it. Windows pierce tn
upper part of the massive stone wall
and high balconies lean out on curve
wooden corbels. Substantial Outbuil(
ings are scattered picturesquely anon
trees, their old slate roofs tlnged VIII
yellow lichen and tipped with crosse
The gay mountain water flashes pas
in orderly little stone canals. The yer
mules have an air of mildness, wei
being and dignifed superiority to thel
bony brethren from Karyes, when
not unnatural Of mules belonging
one of the Oldest, largest, richest an
most interesting monasteries on Moul
Athos.
Before the great gate, on an irregl
lar stone bridge above 8 noisy Mi
race, stands a cupOla which sheiIe'
an icon Of the Virgin. Here all WI
pass in or out stop and cross tneu
selves; and here the gate-keeDer gree
the visitor, takes his credentials aH
reverently kisses its seal. From tAel
the way leads through a vauited pa
sage guarded by two more maSsi'
gates into the interior court OF u
monastery. This itself is place
interest, wide irregular sloping pia'
overlooked by open galleries where
domed church, a white bell-toWer al
sundry smaller buildings are set 10"
at random among orange and poplla
trees. Outside stairs, rooted VII
slate, lead to the guest-house' "lS.
an arriving guest is presented WIN -
tray of Athos, the peninsula's ui"4u
symbol Of hospitality. It's beWliueiiH
multiplicity of spoons, saucers' gus
and refreshments presents prooleiil
well-nigh insolvable by even the nlOe
seasoned globe-trotter. But Sooner :
later the sojourner on AthoS ieal s,
for wherever he pays visit, 10 nuliiI :.
monk or important dignitaxy' 'Hs .
evitable tray appearA