Entry

The conditions of entry for the monk's republic are austere. Thus only men over 18 years receive basically a stay approval. Youngsters less than 18 years can enter in company of the father or another adult man. Nevertheless, in the latter case a consent explanation of the parents or the entitled to education is necessary. The access for women is kept in general.

A stay approval counts to maximum 4 days (3 nights). A lengthening can be approved only by the abbot of a monastery if one asks for it. However, such a request is corresponded in the rarest cases.

Per day at most 10 admission approvals are issued for foreign visitors and the preservation brings such already some efforts with itself. Thus one must become to himself at first once by telephone or in writing to the pilgrim's office of the holy municipality of the Athos in Thessaloniki and declare an appointment wish for the visit.

If this is done, one sends a copy of the identity card or passport by post to the pilgrim's office. Afterwards one gets the appointment wish in writing confirmed. At the latest two weeks before the appointment one should contact once more with the pilgrim's office in Thessaloniki in connection, because the reservation goes to ruin otherwise.

Then at the latest during the day before the planned and approved entry in the monk's republic one must recite personally at the pilgrim's office in Thessaloniki where then identity card and entry permit are checked.

One can save all these formalities itself, however, mostly if neither a religious or at least a scientific or art-historical interest can seriously attach as a visit reason. Should a visit wish be bounced by the pilgrim's office, this decision is not contestable in general.

With it yet enough, because the final stay permission "Diamonitirion" for the holy mountain one does not receive against fee only shortly before departure of the ship to Dafni in the harbour of Ouranoupoli. Namely in the pilgrim's office there, "Permit Issuing Department" of the "Holy Executive of the Mount of Athos Pilgrim Bureau".

Priests of every denomination - also orthodox - need compellingly an official permission of the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul. A suitable application is to be submitted in writing and a recommendation of the own bishop or the church management is to be added. To shorten the partial long treatment times with the patriarchy, it can be of advantage if one procures, in addition, another recommendation of the responsible orthodox bishop for himself and submits with.

In any case, priests also do not come round round the pilgrim's office in Thessaloniki. The same procedure like for all the others also applies to them.

For Christians of orthodox denomination special approvals are mostly given, even if already the 10-man border is reached. In addition one must turn with a suitable ecclesiastical certificate of the own orthodox church municipality in the diocese in Thessaloniki.

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(These and further informations - e.g. addresses - to the entry in the monk's republic are also available as download in PDF format.)