Women Protest 1000 Year Old Ban
Published by deviousdiva January 10th, 2008 in Women.This is all over the international press today. I have just picked a couple of places that have re-printed the Reuters and Associated Press articles. The links to them are at the end of the post.
Please note that this is NOT about women wanting to join the monastery, it is about a ban on women stepping foot on land that has been claimed illegally by those monasteries.
From B92 News
Around 500 women and men from villages in the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece took a few steps into the territory of the self-governing community of some 20 monasteries before a police cordon stopped them, police and the organiser said.
“It was a symbolic act, we have broken the ‘avaton’,” said protest organiser Kyriaki Malama, referring to the 1045 AD decree that forbids women access on grounds of impurity.
“We demand that the Greek government and the European Union intervene to stop the monasteries from acting as if they are above the law
From the International Herald Tribune
Monks at 20 monasteries on the Athos peninsula have imposed a strict ban on women for nearly 1,000 years. Even female animals are barred.
The ban is upheld by Greece’s constitution, and violations are punishable by up to a year in prison. In the past, female visitors are rumored to have entered the enclave disguised as men
In the articles, Kyriaki Malama who is spokesperson fro the Halkidiki residents movement is quoted as saying
If they are to take away our homes then it might be better for us to go to prison, as we won’t have anywhere else to stay. We are fed up and angry about this land seizure and the monasteries’ demands. It was an effort to persuade authorities to take action. The court process is very lengthy. It is effectively a labyrinth from which one never escapes, and we don’t even have the money to pay lawyers for the rest of our lives
Officials from the Greek Orthodox Church could not be reached for comment.
Litsa Ammanatidou-Paschalidou an MP who took part in the protest said
About 10 women jumped the fence marking the border of the community on Tuesday and spent some 20 minutes on the monks’ territory in a symbolic move. I felt the need to join them and I did. The problem with the land has existed for years, not just here but all over Greece
Full article from the Associated Press by Costas Kantori.
Full article from Reuters by Karolos Grohmann
UPDATE: Deafening silence in the Greek Press on the matter. Read the comment at toomanytribbles. Just one article in Kathimerini (in Greek).
Technorati: greece, women, monastery, land rights, ban
WOOHOO! Go girls!!
evge! i’ve linked to you. thanks….
Thanks toomanytribbles. I will update with the Kathimerini article! Resounding silence in the Greek Press ? Why am I not surprised ?
Rock ON, DD!
Mount Athos has continually blown my mind. This is so good. Even if the Greek press didn’t pick it up (yet), they’ll have to, sooner or later. Banning tourists is one thing. Stripping women of their humanity on grounds of ‘impurity’ is another.
Rock ON.
Hey Theriomorph.
The ‘no female animals’ ban really shocked me ! I didn’t know that before today. Not that I am saying I am more concerned about the animals than people, but the ridiculousness of this ban is shown in its full glory.
Bravo to the women who are challenging this constitutionally-protected ancient law. After all we are living in the 21st century, right ?
The ‘no female animals’ ban really shocked me ! …After all we are living in the 21st century, right ?
Yeah. It’s crazy.
(As a total aside, it always killed me that Mount Athos honey is probably the best honey I have ever had, from anywhere in the world - like liquid sun. Crazy delicious, pollen from thyme. I always got it, loved it, then wanted to send a postcard to the monastery saying: ‘Dear Mount Athos, Where did the bees come from? Sincerely, A Woman’
‘Course, I’m not even sure the honey is made on the Athos peninsula.)
Anyway. : )
So glad this demonstration happened.
I seem to recall reading that there is a more intelligent reason for banning female animals, which is to do with stopping access to milk and cheese for the monks. Their diet is very ascetic and very healthy, too: without meat or dairy products, and using olive oil only 3 days a week. They allow female cats, there:-)
Revolting behaviour. I refer to behaviour of the women who displayed a sophomoric immaturity and unjustifiable disrespect for the monks who live on the Holy Mountain. They combined their ignorance of Orthodox Christianity with a selfish application of contemporary feminist beliefs. I am an Orthodox Christian woman who enjoys a life filled with freedom of thought and action. I am not some mindless robot, then, when I spring to the energetic defense of the Orthodox monks on Mt. Athos. Some honest enquiry by these women into what the Holy Mountain is, and into what the Orthodox faith really teaches (as opposed to inaccurate stereotypes and distortions) could have prevented this event. The women come off looking absurd, frankly.
athos reinforces and perpetuates the hatred of women justified by a fictitious event of original sin. tradition is no justification for disregarding law and certainly no idea, religious or not, is above criticism.
Considering that the action was about the illegal seizure of land by the monks, I don’t see what your point is, A.W.C. Is it that Orthodox monks are not governed by the laws of Greece, and can do as they like?