Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the monastic state of Mount Athos on Friday, describing it as “an enlightened center of spiritual offering, which becomes a compass in a world that often loses its orientation.”
In addressing the Holy Church of Protathos in Karyes, the Prime Minister affirmed his government’s “practical will…to stand as a helper in its timeless journey.”
Mitsotakis highlighted Mount Athos‘ enduring significance, both internationally and particularly for Greeks, as a place of “personal peace, contemplation, and upliftment,” and simultaneously “a source of collective hope.”
The Prime Minister’s visit to Mount Athos occurred just days after significant internal tensions within the monastic community became public. A strong contingent of monasteries had voiced their disapproval, calling into question the visit itself.
This resistance was largely interpreted as a reaction to government decisions that, in their view, “affect the religious sentiment and beliefs of Orthodox Christians”—foremost among these being the recently passed legislation on gay marriage and adoption rights.
In a notable act of protest, the abbots of at least seven monasteries explicitly stated they would not attend the Prime Minister’s official welcoming ceremony.
Nevertheless, the formal invitation, signed by the Holy Synaxis of Mount Athos, ultimately underscored the collective welcome extended by all 20 holy monasteries of the Athonite State to the Prime Minister in the “Orchard of the Virgin Mary.”
Mitsotakis makes financial commitment to Mount Athos
A central theme of the Prime Minister’s address was the government’s comprehensive plan to inject €100 million (about $117 million) into the monastic state by 2030. These funds are earmarked for vital projects spanning various fields:
- infrastructure development
- maintenance and restoration of monasteries, including post-earthquake repairs
- protection of invaluable relics
- environmental conservation of Mount Athos’ unique natural landscape
- facilitation of the thousands of pilgrims who visit annually
A message of gratitude and shared purpose
The Greek PM expressed his “respect, emotion, and great joy” at his return to the “heart of Athonite Monasticism” and conveyed the gratitude of the State and people for the “critical work” carried out by the monastic community.
He detailed Mount Athos’ religious, spiritual, and national contribution of over a thousand years, noting its voice “sounding louder than any voice and its faith becoming a strength for all” in a “turbulent” global environment.
“My presence here today indicates the practical will of the government to stand as a helper in this timeless course,” he reiterated, emphasizing he conveyed this message both as Prime Minister and “as a simple pilgrim.”
Discussions on security and global challenges
Beyond the financial pledges, Mitsotakis stated his intention to engage in discussions with the monks on issues of “regional security” and other “challenges of our time.” He added a particular focus on “the ways in which the word of truth and sobriety of the Athonite state can now be heard more powerfully in a global environment of confusion and uncertainty.”
The Prime Minister underscored his personal connection to Mount Athos, having visited numerous times “as a citizen, as a party leader and now as prime minister.” He also assured the monks of the government’s unwavering support, extending it to “all the Christians of the wider region and the Middle East who are being tested.”
Mitsotakis articulated this commitment not merely as a State duty but as an “inalienable debt to the spirituality that the Orchard of the Virgin Mary gives us” and even “a personal need.”
In response, Primate Abraham offered a blessing, wishing that the Virgin Mary, patroness of Mount Athos, would “illuminate [Mitsotakis’] actions and…ministry for the common interest of the people and the homeland and guide the State on paths of cooperation, justice, and spiritual rebirth.”
Following the address, a reception for the Prime Minister and his entourage was held at the Holy Community Hall. It was attended by the abbots and representatives of Mount Athos’ twenty monasteries.
Related: Hollywood’s Mel Gibson on Spiritual Retreat at Greece’s Mount Athos
