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~Anastasia~

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If you want to read REALLY extensively, you are forced to either wait on translations and be limited by what others decide to translate ... or learn one (or more) of the historic languages where Orthodoxy already has a treasury. I suspect this sways a lot of people rather early on in any lifetime pursuit of such a vocation.

Just a guess. And probably there are more reasons. Especially liturgical ones, I would guess.

But I don't imagine Mt. Athos is necessarily set against English.
 
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Silverback

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If you want to read REALLY extensively, you are forced to either wait on translations and be limited by what others decide to translate ... or learn one (or more) of the historic languages where Orthodoxy already has a treasury. I suspect this sways a lot of people rather early on in any lifetime pursuit of such a vocation.

Just a guess. And probably there are more reasons. Especially liturgical ones, I would guess.

But I don't imagine Mt. Athos is necessarily set against English.

There is some interesting history surrounding Mount Athos, I recently found out there was a "Catholic" Monastery at one time, it was referred to as Romanish, or Latin. Additionally, one of the Persion Emperor 's dig a canal across the peninsula in order to avoid being dashed on the rocks when sailing around the southern tip.

I was stationed in Greece when I was in the US Navy, I always wanted to visit Athos, but I could never seen to get passed the bureaucratic headache.
 
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MariaJLM

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Since Mt. Athos is pretty much considered the greatest of Orthodox monastic communities I used to be super bitter that women cannot even set foot there(thus no pilgrimages), but eh...I have kind of gotten over it since it's a rule that's unlikely to change.
 
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buzuxi02

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There is some interesting history surrounding Mount Athos, I recently found out there was a "Catholic" Monastery at one time, it was referred to as Romanish, or Latin. Additionally, one of the Persion Emperor 's dig a canal across the peninsula in order to avoid being dashed on the rocks when sailing around the southern tip.

I was stationed in Greece when I was in the US Navy, I always wanted to visit Athos, but I could never seen to get passed the bureaucratic headache.
I think you mean the Latin rite Amalfion Monastery that operated from around the 10th or 11 century to 13th century.
 
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PittBullMom

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Since Mt. Athos is pretty much considered the greatest of Orthodox monastic communities I used to be super bitter that women cannot even set foot there(thus no pilgrimages), but eh...I have kind of gotten over it since it's a rule that's unlikely to change.

Wasn't it only after an apparition of Theotokos? I think I read the decided she would be the last woman to step foot on the ground there.
 
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MariaJLM

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Wasn't it only after an apparition of Theotokos? I think I read the decided she would be the last woman to step foot on the ground there.

It was, although exceptions were made during the Nazi occupation of Greece. Many refugees, women included, hid out there.
 
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The Faceless

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Wasn't it only after an apparition of Theotokos? I think I read the decided she would be the last woman to step foot on the ground there.
I did not know this. I had always thought that the rule was about limiting temptations as much as possible. A "do not cause your brother to stumble" situation.
 
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MariaJLM

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I did not know this. I had always thought that the rule was about limiting temptations as much as possible. A "do not cause your brother to stumble" situation.

If that was the case then I think women's monasteries would ban Male pilgrims. They don't as far as I know.
 
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Silverback

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It was, although exceptions were made during the Nazi occupation of Greece. Many refugees, women included, hid out there.

There were also some refugees from somewhere that washed up on there shores some years ago.

Additionally, several women have infiltrated disguised as men, and in at least one occasion wrote an article about it after.

I also seem to remember reading that the monks sheltered allied airmen who bailed out of there bombers over southeast europe.

Considering greater than 10% of the Greek population died during the war, Athos would seem like a good place to hide out.
 
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buzuxi02

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Then why are men allowed at women's monasteries?
The same reason why women are allowed at 99% of men's monasteries.
Before Athos was regulated centuries ago anyone could go and even set up huts including prostitutes. There were over 10,000 monks on Athos (maybe more in the 14th century).
They have always allowed in women and children during times of crisis. During the Greek uprising of 1821 on the southern mainland thousands of women and children took refuge on Athos against reprisals (Turks sold of Rum women as slaves with into the 1800's). Unfortunately massacre and reprisal still took place in 1822.
 
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