Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-09-26
One of the Famous Athos Monasterles.

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. CO.
The Athos peninsula in northern
Greece to which the Patriarch of Con-
stantinople, head of the Greek church,
retired because Of pressure from the
Turkish government, has been land
of monasteries since the hoary days
when Byzantium was in power.
Three peninsulas extend into the
Aegean sea from the mainland of Chal-
cidice like the prongs of trident, and
look as though they might be the fork
with which Neptune planned to throw
the island of Chios from the sea. Athos
is the eaSternmoSt of the three. 1t is
about forty miles long, varying in
width from four to seven miles, and it
is entirely owned and controlled by a
group Of mOnastic communities, which
govern it like separate little republic
Daphne, the port of the peninsula,
Is a dingy enough little hamlet, con-
| sisting of a custom-house, a post office
an inn and the quarters of the few
residents. Before the World war, when
the Russian branch Of the Greek
church functioned smoothly and thou
sands Of pilgrims from Russia visited
the Russian mOnasteries of the PENN
sula, a weekly Russian steamer put in
at the little port. But lately the ar
rivals of the occasional Greek steamers
have been the sole important incidents
of Daphne's life.
For the normal man life not only in
Daphne but on all Athos is uncom-
monty devoid of interest and incident
for since 1045 it has been unlawful for
woman to set foot on the peninsula.
Moreover, so far is sex discrimination
extended that female domestic animals
are barred. Even the eggs and milk
that the good monks Of Athos eat and
drink must come therefore, from farms
across the border of the strange monas-
tic republic.
AS one might expect, in world in
habited by descendants of Eve, the
law has been broken. There are leg
ends of inquisitive expresses who were
hiraculously prevented, at the door,
from def1ling certain monasteries by
their intrusion. There are other leg
ends of monasteries subjected to fast
ing, humility and publication by rea-
son of some such unlimited guest.
Karyes, the Quaint Capital.
Daphne is merely the outer vestibule
OF Athos To reach the heart of the
community visitor rides, preferably
ON mule-back, up roughly paved zig
gag trail like rope dropped in random
folds on mountain side; up and up
past terraced olive trees, past white
monastery looking pleasantly at the
sea from a high green shelf, past
reaches of wood to the top of ridge.
From these the road drops to the vii
lage of Karyes.
Karyes, otherwise The Walnuts, Is
the capital Of the community. 1t lies
just under the crest Of the peninsula,
about midway Of its long eastern slope.
An ignorant newcomer runs fresh risk
OF mourning displeasure, even when
he has left his wife behind; for in the
streets of this other-worldly capital
may no man ride, smoke, sing or other
wise comport himself in too self
satisfied a manner
There is much that is quaint to in
terest one in Karyes-its crooked al
legs, it's broad caves, it's omnipresent
crosses, it's running water, its hanging
gardens, it's sudden visions of white
capped Athos or the underlying blue
OF the Aegean, and it's grave. bearded.
black-gowned inhabitants, with uncut
hair tucked under black stovepipe
hats; true stovepipes they are. too.
having neither the brim of the West
nor the upper flare of the Greek
clergy.
Not all the inhabitants are gowned,
however. Some wear white Albanian
ballet skirts, tasseled garters below
tight white knee, and pompon at the
turned-up tip Of each red slipper
These are members Of a local pretorian
guard. Others are less amply killed
or trousered In different degrees of
bagginess; and not few look as pro-
sale as an American.
For many travellers the true beauty
of a pilgrimage to Mount Athos is
that not only do you lay up credit for
yourself on high, but you do it for next
to nothing Anyone belonging to the
worse half Of humanity may visit the
monasterfes and be gratuitously enter
tained so long as he cares to stay.
So many avail themselves of this
hospitable privilege, however, that
there are degrees in the welcome ex-
tended by the monks. If, for instance,
the pilgrim brings letter from known
ecclesiastical authorities, he will re-
eeive more consideration, and may
sven receive money for his own pur.