Geography of Mount Athos

Mount Athos is home to some of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world. Especially after interference from the government of Greece there have been tensions with some of these monasteries that ostensibly operate independently. The Greek government regards Mount Athos, which is an Island covering some 350 km/2, as a territory of the Ecumenical Patriarch who resides in modern day Turkey.

Because the state, not the monks residing in the monasteries on the island, made this decision it has been a place of tension. Additionally because different ethnicity's more or less control certain monasteries on the Island international conflicts have also spilled over onto the Island.

• Fighting Between Monks At Mount Athos
• The Monastery Of Dionysiou – Dedicated to John the Baptist
• Holy Monastery Of Dochiarios – Founded in the 10^th Century
• The Holy Monastery Of Esfigmenos – Dedicated to the Ascension of Christ
• The Monastery Of Osiou Grigoriou – Ranks Seventeenth in the Hierarchy of the Island
• Holy Monastery Of Hilandarion – A Largely Serbian Monastery
• The Most Holy Monastery Of Iviron – Built By Georgian Monks around 980 AD
• Holy Monastery Of Karakalou – A 13^th Century Monastery
• Holy Monastery Of Koutloumousion – Contains the Largest Relic of the True Cross
• The Monastery Of Megisti (Great) Lavra – The First Monastery Built on Mount Athos
• The Holy Monastery Of Saint Panteleimon – The Largest Monastery on Mount Athos
• Monastery Of Pantokrator – Dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ
• The Monastery Of Holy Saint (Agios) Pavlos – Dedicated to Saint Paul (Saul)
• Monastery Of Simon Petras – Dedicated to Saint Peter
• Holy Monastery Of Stavronikita – The last to be established on the Island
• The Holy Monastery Of Vatopedion – Built during the latter part of the tenth century.
• Holy Monastery Of Xenophon – Dedicated to Saint George
• The Monastery Of Xiropotamos – Dedicated to the Fourty Martyrs of Sebaste
• Holy Monastery Of Zografos – Noted for its 235 year old writings by Monk Paisios