Greece - Mount Athos (Steve)

Greece - Mount Athos (Steve)

"Athos, located on a remote peninsula in northeastern Greece, is an autonomous monastic state. It has been an Orthodox spiritual center since 1054. It is legally part of the European Union. The number of daily visitors is limited to 100 lay Eastern Orthodox Christians and 10 non-Orthodox male pilgrims. All women and children are prohibited from entering the Athos peninsula. The monastic community is an Eastern Orthodox community of monks. There are approximately 2,000 of them from Greece and several other countries. They live a deeply ascetic lifestyle in 20 monasteries. The monasteries are distinguished by a rich collection of well-preserved artifacts, rare books, ancient documents, and works of art of immense historical value. Their school of painting has influenced the history of Orthodox art. Athos has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988... music: Holy Mount Athos Chants ..."