Holy places
The Holy Mountain of Athos
The monastic republic on the Chalkidiki peninsula.
History
Monasticism on Athos is attested from the 9th century; the Great Lavra was founded by St Athanasius the Athonite in 963. Today there are 20 monasteries, among them the Russian St Panteleimon, the Serbian Hilandar and the Bulgarian Zographou. Athos is an autonomous region of Greece under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Traditions
Athos keeps the Julian calendar and Byzantine time. Access is permitted only to men with a special permit (diamonitirion) — a rule in force since the 10th century.