European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 19, 1963, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I or Grok. For men Only by Phil Dopoulos a staff writer this is a rare year in the 1,000-Yearhistory of the rugged mount Athos Peninsula in Greece and its monks who want nothing of worldly life its tourists and its women its turmoils and is pleas ures. This is a Lime of Celebration with visitor from the outer world. But there is Good reason for the unusual event. The monasteries arc marking thir  birthday and hoping that their Community despite a dwindling population will go on  230 guests All men. Gathered there for religious services and other observances. The services had been postponed a month to allow King Paul of Greece to re cover from on appendectomy. Rarely in recent times has mount Atho been Host to so Many guests. The visitors Are finding that 10 centuries have changed Little on the macedonian Peninsula a sex mlle wide strip of land jutting 30 Miles into the Aegean sea. It still remains largely a Community of Monk living in scattered monasteries or As hermits in isolated caves and  wind through forests linking the monasteries and the Peninsula s few villages. There in t an automobile around. Mules and sailboats ferrying passengers along the Rocky mount Athos shores pro vide the transport ally time in still counted from the moment the Sun sinks behind 6.000-foot-Hlgh mount Athos. Sunset is Zero hour when clocks Are fixed. An hour after Sun set is 1 o clock. And so on. Visitors from the outside must get passe from greek officials and have them approved on mount Athos by the monks own government consisting of on elected representative from each  Ore never permitted. Even female Domestic animals cows hens mares afe barred. The Only exception was Queen he in of Serbia in the 13th Century. The monks admitted her because she had been one of their greatest  even her visit is said to have had n the action. Legend says she entered a mount Athos Church to Pray and that a voice from on icon said be gone. This is no place for a  the Peninsula has be a off limits to females since 919 about a half Century after monks started retiring to mount  the real birth of at Holte Monasta Clem dotes to 963. The year emperor Nice chorus Phocas of byzantium issued a Golden null or charter to St. Athanas Slus theat Holte for the establishment of the Mon Astery of meals to  was the first of the 20 major Mon  Are  common life. Everything must he shared. Food in eaten in a refectory. Meat is never allowed. The others Are Idlor rhythmic private rhythm. Property can be held. Monks Cook their food separately in their  is allowed except on fast Days which amount to two thirds of the year on mount  in All monasteries worship from 2 . Until s . On special holy Days the Imit fat vigils last up to 14  the major monasteries mount Athos has Many More religious institution some Are full size monasteries. Some Are communities of Only to by three monks finally there Are the  Chestnut tree of the forests of mount Altos provide the Monns Rufes wit their Nln income. There is hardly a bet Tir source of Timber in Rocky , olives and hazelnuts also Are Money earners for the Monk.  All work on mount Athos was done by the monks them Elva a there was no need for Cash. Visitors once they had the necessary permits received free boned and lodging at any monastery they  hospitality still is in Force. But no longer can the monks do the work alone. They must have hired in men to help them. The laymen Are the residents of the Peninsula s villages. At the turn of the Century there were nearly 10,000 monks on mount Athos. Today there Are hardly 2,000, about a third Ottem hermits. Many Are too aged to work. In the last 10 years there Haw been about25 novices annually scarcely enough to keep up the depleted  modern world has provided keen Competition against the monastic life. Cold War politics also has taken a toll. At the turn of the Century half the10.000 monks were russian. Today about 60 Are left. Their average is 80. All but two came Here in Cut 1st Days. The two exceptions were russian exiles who live outside the soviet Union before coming  of the 20 monasteries Are greek. The others Are serbian russian an bulgarian. In nil about 200 of the monks Are not greek born although All acquire greek citizenship on moving to mount Athos. A lure the growth of communism there have been few novices from red nations Anil the Sorcek government fearing communist infiltration has been hesitant even to admit these few. But there is still feeling of certainty that the Community of mount Athos will go on. Several monks have come recently from Yugoslavia to join the serbian monastery which received a gift from president Tito on electric Generator a school has been revived in cares the capital Village of mount Athos to five promising Young greeks a rounded Educa Tion and encourage them to follow a life of Monosti Clem. The students do not have to take vows unlit the end of their second year. The greek government is giving us encouragement and restoring libraries and much of the Art in the centuries old monasteries. New footpaths Are being planned to encourage pilgrims and scholars to visit mount  sightseeing tourists Are not wanted. Tourism and monastic Lam Don t mix agree official said. One Hope is that the orthodox world Willet to know mount Athos better and that youths will again want to come Here monks. The Mihen Lum celebrations this year Are part of this Effort to Tell the world about mount Athos to make sure that time never runs out on the Peninsula that its Only Zero hour is its nightly Sunset. One there were 10,000 monks on Athos mostly greek born but today there arc  2,000 of them. 19, 1963 Thi stars and stripes Page 13