After the Balkan Wars og 1912-1913 it was necessary to redraw the political map of Macedonia. The international position of Mount Athos, however, was seen as a problem, particularly between Greece and Russia—which, had aspirations to to be the protector of the Orthodox peoples of the Balkans. While the issue was left unresolved at that time, there was a tacit acceptance of the existing de facto Greek sovereignty over the Athonite peninsula.When the issue was raised again after the end of the First World War, conditions had become more favourable for the Greek side and with the Treaties of Neuilly (1919), Sevres (1920) and Lausanne (1923), Greek sovereignty over Mount Athos was officially recognised.

All that remained was to settle the legal dispositions of Greece’s relations with the Holy Mountain and to draw up an internal rule for the governance of the monastic community. In 1924 a five-member committee of Athonites prepared a ‘Charter for the Holy Mountain of Athos’. On the basis of this official text the Greek state drafted a Legislative Decree, which the Greek Parliament passed into law in 1926. At the same time, the 1927 Greek Constitution contained special articles (included in each subsequent constitution) on the general principles governing the status of Mount Athos.

The Greek State is represented by the Governor of Mount Athos, who answers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and who, together with the deputy governor, resides in Karyes. He ensures that the Charter is respected, attends the sessions of the Holy Community in an advisory capacity, and presides over local public services (police, customs, etc.).

Article 105 of the constitution of the Hellenic republic states the following:

"1. The Athos peninsula from and beyond Megali Viala, constitutes the territory of Mount Athos; according to its antique privileged status, it is a self-governed part of the Hellenic State where the latter's sovereignty is intact. From the spiritual point of vue, Mount Athos depends from the direct jurisdiction of the Oecumenical Patriachate. All of those who live there as monks are entitled to Hellenic citizenship as soon as they are admitted as novices or monks, without any other administrative formality.

2. Mount Athos is administered under its own regime by its 20 holy monastries, between which the land of the Athos peninsula is shared, which is inalienable. Administration is held by representatives of the holy monastries, which form the Holy Community. It is absolutely forbidden to bring any kind of modification to the administrative system, or to the number of monastries of Mount Athos, neither of their hierarchical order or their relationships with their dependencies; settlement of heterodoxians or schismatics is forbidden.

3. The detailed determination of Mount Athos' statuses and of their functionning is done by the Statutory Charter of Mount Athos, which is written and voted by the 20 holy monastries, with the participation of the representative of the State, and ratified by the Oecumenical Patriarchate and the House of Representatives of the Hellens.

4. The strict observation of the regime of Mount Athos as for spiritual matters, is placed under the high watch of the Oecumenical Patriachate, and, as for administrative matters, under the watch of the State, to which also belongs exclusively the responsability of public order and public safety.

5. The State's powers stated above are held by a governor, whose rights and duties are determined by Law.”

For more information visit the web page of Mount Athos.

Mount Athos