Civil Governor vs. Athonite Fathers
The following was originally reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists Athonite Bureau in May and is being shared here for our American readers.
The Athonite Fathers have publicly denounced the recent actions of the Civil Governor of Mount Athos, Mr. Alkiviadis Stefanis, defending the freedom and spiritual autonomy of the monastic community of the Holy Mountain. The governor’s decision to initiate legal actions against monks has sparked strong opposition from the monastic brotherhood, particularly the Kelliotes (monks of independent cells), who argue that such methods violate the centuries-old traditions and ecclesiastical framework of Mount Athos.
Mount Athos, they emphasize, is not merely a geographical region but “the Garden of the Theotokos” — a sacred place where monks serve Christ and safeguard His teachings. The monks are “soldiers of Christ,” not subjects of worldly authority, and they exercise full religious conscience without subordination to external administrative bodies.
In their open letter, the Athonite Fathers assert that the governor’s move to expel monks is inconsistent with the very nature of the Athonite polity, which is governed by the Holy Community — not by political influence. They underscore that intervention in spiritual or ecclesiastical matters is incompatible with the institutional framework established by the 1924 Charter of Mount Athos.
The monks’ letter addresses Mr. Stefanis directly:
"Just as the armed forces, in which you once served, operate by established rules that all must follow, so too in the Athonite polity, the Holy Fathers have established sacred canons over the centuries."
They criticize secular leaders for often using inappropriate means to rise to power — methods which, they insist, have no place among the monks of Mount Athos.
"We are not your soldiers, nor your subordinates. We are free persons. As soldiers of Christ, we enjoy freedom of religious conscience, freedom of speech, and the courage to speak truth to earthly powers, just as Christ Himself did."
The Fathers remind the governor of a miracle attributed to the Virgin Mary — the survival of a military helicopter technician in a 2017 crash — as a sign of her living presence and protection. They suggest that such spiritual realities cannot be ignored by those charged with administrative oversight of the Holy Mountain.
"You are not just in any place - you are in the Garden of the Theotokos. She is our Queen and our Ruler."
They reject the governor’s method of persecuting monks under vague charges of “serious offenses,” comparing it unfavorably with military discipline and warning that such tactics are fundamentally mistaken.
"We monks are not under your command. We do not belong to you. We are not afraid of you. We fear only Christ and the Theotokos."
The letter concludes by affirming the monks’ unwavering allegiance to the Holy Community of Mount Athos as the sole supreme authority on the Mountain. They urge the Civil Governor to respect the legal limits of his role as defined by the 1924 Charter and 1926 Legislative Decree — specifically, to restrict his duties to public order and safety, without interfering in ecclesiastical or spiritual matters.
"We are not afraid.
We fear only Christ.
It would be wise for you, too, to fear the Justice of our Commander and Lord, Jesus Christ."
— The Athonite Kelliote Fathers
