An autonomous state under Greek sovereignty, entry into the area is strictly controlled and only male residents are allowed to live there and only male visitors allowed.
Agio Oros (Holy Mountain) is a self-governed part of the Greek state, politically subject to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as regards its religious aspect.
The mountain is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, and by an imperial document (typicon) the avaton was established and no female may set foot on the peninsula. Most of its inhabitants are Orthodox monks living in monasteries, sketai (collections of small cells with a central chapel), cells and hermitages. Those who are not members of the clergy include employees and workers. There are also numerous male pilgrims (up to 110 can enter per day) to Agio Oros, who come for the purposes of meditation, prayer and study.
Of the twenty monasteries, one is Russian, one is Bulgarian, one is Serbian, one is Georgian and the rest are Greek. There are also Romanian and Bulgarian sketai. Foreign monasteries and sketae are supported by their respective countries.
These monasteries possess holy relics, icons, frescoes and mosaics of great value. Although many have been lost in fires or stolen during raids, a vast array of historical texts, rare documents and manuscripts – all historical heirlooms – are kept in their libraries.
The right of autonomy of Agio Oros was granted gradually, initially by the Byzantine emperors Nikiforos Fokas and Ioannis Tsimiskis. This autonomy was maintained and even enhanced throughout the period of Ottoman rule up to this day.
After WWI, a series of international treaties recognized the special status of the mountain. Although nominally part of Greece, special stipulations and exemptions apply in regard to Greece‘s accession to the European Community (now European Union).
Average visitors can stay for free at each monastery for one day, for a maximum of three nights/four days, pending acceptation of a request and only after having secured a written permission (diamonitirion) from a dedicated bureau in Thessaloniki. Scholars and genuine Orthodox novices can obtain longer permissions.
