HOLY MONASTERY ESFIGMENOU
17 JULY 2013
MOUNT ATHOS
PRESS RELEASE
Today we were given an order to evacuate our Konaki (Administration Centre) in Karies (Building B).
Our reply is "Molon Lave" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molon_labe)
We will not leave from our Konaki,
so that the new brotherhood (phony Esphigmenou) will do "restoration works"
in order to justify receiving European Union subsidies.
The Konaki is the place of our repentance and we are living in it as a brotherhood for centuries,
many monks first went there at a very young age around fifty years ago, and now they have to go.
We will not allow this to happen even if it is the last thing we will do.
We have not asked for anything, other than to be left in our peace.
They can take their European subsidies since they care so much about them, but they should leave us in our prayer.
But as it seems, we are being an obstacle to them, more that we originally thought.
Following our 11th of July 2013 Press Release, we hereby state that:
We will never - of our own will - surrender our Konaki to the Katsoulierides (phony Esphigmenites)
whereby - overnight - they baptised themselves as the "New Holy Esfigmenou Monastery",
against the Holy Mountain Charter rules and regulations.
Although they have tried to acquire the Konaki using crowbars and large hammers,
they are now attempting it again using legalistic orders of evacuation and the help of the police.
We state that, even if we have to use our own blood to defend the konaki, we will do it.
We have pleaded for prudence and peace within Mount Athos.
Some consider our lives as collateral damage,
but we the 108 monks of the Historic Holly Esfigmenou Monastery,
we will never surrender our Konaki as long as we are alive.
The decisions are yours......
With honour,
Press Office of the Historic Holly Esfigmenou Monastery - Mount Athos
