Greek monk hospitalized after monastery conflict linked to decades-old dispute

THESSALONIKI – An Orthodox Christian monk was hospitalized following a violent confrontation at a monastic sanctuary in northern Greece, authorities stated Friday. The incident is tied to a decades-old spiritual dispute.

Hospital officers stated the monk is being handled in Thessaloniki for cuts and bruises to his face and higher physique, after being transferred from Mount Athos, situated about 175 kilometers (110 miles) to the east.

Mount Athos is a self-governed monastic territory in Greece, residence to centuries-old monasteries the place monks reside in devotion to prayer and religious life. Girls are banned from getting into the world.

On the heart of the continuing battle is Esphigmenou Monastery, whose brotherhood continues to defy court docket and church orders to vacate the premises. They refuse to acknowledge authority over them by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the religious residence of the Japanese Orthodox Church primarily based in Istanbul, Turkey.

This spiritual rift has led to repeated violent clashes, authorized battles, and provide blockades between members of the defiant brotherhood and church-appointed replacements. The controversy, which started within the early Nineteen Seventies, was compounded by court docket choices towards the insurgent monks, who’re sustained by donations from exterior teams of supporters.

In accordance with monastic authorities, the newest incident occurred late Thursday, when a monk from the formally acknowledged brotherhood was attacked by rivals wielding gardening instruments throughout routine groundskeeping work at an administrative constructing.

Father Bartholomew, abbot of the brand new brotherhood, advised The Related Press that the younger monk sustained facial and rib accidents from punches and blows with a picket object. He added {that a} description of the alleged attacker was offered to police and {that a} Thessaloniki public prosecutor had additionally been formally notified.

“What is the point of having these decisions (to expel the monks) if they are not enforced? They must be implemented,” Bartholomew stated.

In a web-based assertion, the breakaway brotherhood denied the accusations.

“It is a well-known tactic for these perpetrators to play the victims,” it stated. “They feigned injury in a performance worthy of an acting class.”