Clergymen from Mount Athos opposed the conversion of holy sites into strongholds of the “Russian world” and Putin's messianic propaganda and took action. This was reported by Novaya Gazeta Europe. New strict rules for pilgrims wishing to visit Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic republic in northern Greece, came into effect on June 14, coinciding with the inauguration of the new Athos monastic government, the Holy Epistasia.

Although the specifics of these rules have not yet been released, a source at the Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos (also known as the Russian Monastery, a title it was officially stripped of several years ago) indicated that the guidelines include a strict quota for pilgrims holding Russian passports. The rules also impose detailed regulations regarding the purpose and route of pilgrimage, particularly concerning laypeople convicted of inciting hatred and promoting xenophobia.

While the Holy Kinot (or Holy Epistasia) has not officially condemned the "SVO" (Special Military Operation), some monasteries on Athos issued anti-war statements following the events of February 2022, asserting that acts of aggression against a sovereign state are incompatible with Christianity.

The new brotherhood at the Athos monastery of Esphigmenou, along with the monasteries of Pantokratoros, Simonopetra, and Gregoriou, have openly supported Ukraine and have provided humanitarian aid to Ukrainians. These monasteries, which are part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, reject the messianic doctrine of the “Russian world." This doctrine, which suggests a special religious mission or rights for a particular people, was condemned as "ethno-philetic heresy" by the Council of Constantinople in 1872.

Since 2018, the Russian Orthodox Church has had no canonical communication with the Patriarchate of Constantinople (and therefore with Mount Athos). In this context, it is evident what prompted the new order for visits to the Holy Mountain and who it primarily targets. (Quelle: www.risu.ua, 26. Juni 2025)