Earthquake Rocks Mount Athos

Simonopetra Monastery, Mount Athos. Source: Wikipedia

KARYES — An earthquake struck Mount Athos on Saturday at 12 p.m. EEST.

The Geodynamic Institute of Athens (GIE) released a statement saying the tremor registered at 5.3 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 12.5 kilometers. The area was also affected by an aftershock with a magnitude of 3.8.

“We are well, people should not be worried,” Alkiviadis Stefanis, the civil administrator of Mount Athos, told Greek state media.

The earthquake did not affect tourist infrastructure, according to Grigoris Tasios, head of the Halkidiki Hotels Association

According to Stefanis, only one injury was reported. A man injured his hand after falling.

The Hellenic Fire Department is patrolling the Holy Mountain looking for damaged property or injured persons.

So far, only minor property damage has been reported.

Several smaller quakes affected other parts of northern Greece.

Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries in addition to many smaller hermitages. It is widely considered the spiritual center of Orthodoxy.

Read also

UOC Priest: St. Gabriel of Georgia Healed Ukrainian Soldier

A serviceman - who had been unable to speak for nearly a year due to a concussion - began to speak again after an appearance of the Georgian saint.

2025 St. Herman Youth Conference to Be Held in NY This December

Annual gathering to bring together Orthodox youth from across North America for fellowship, worship, and spiritual growth.

HCHC Community Holds All-Night Vigil Honoring Philoptochos Society and Its Patron Saints

Special prayers offered for members of the National Board and all Philoptochos chapters in gratitude for their decades of support.

Georgian Church Resumes Construction After Miracle

The foundation of a church was blessed at Georgia's Oncology Center — construction resumes on the Church of Ss. Panteleimon the Healer and John the Baptist.

BREAKING: Met. Arseny Hospitalized After Falling Ill During Court Hearing

Faithful urged to pray as proceedings in Sviatohirsk hierarch’s case continue daily.

Pat. Bartholomew: It Is a ‘Grave Sin’ To Put Politics Before Church Unity

"Those who jeopardize this unity in the name of geopolitical expediencies and base motives for acquiring earthly power—falsely cloaked in spirituality—commit an offense before God and a grave sin," the Ecumenical Patriarch said.