Centuries-old Monasteries Damaged in Greece Quake
At least three centuries-old Greek monasteries in the religious enclave of Mount Athos were damaged in an earthquake over the weekend, the culture ministry said Wednesday.
The ministry said the 5.3-magnitude undersea quake that struck Saturday in the northern Halkidiki peninsula had left structural and decorative damage at the 10th-century Xenophontos and Dochiari monasteries, and the 14th-century Simonos Petras monastery.
There were large cracks in church domes at Xenophontos, and further damage to frescoes that had been weakened by a February quake, AFP quoted the ministry as saying.
Similar damages were noted at Dochiari monastery, and more limited at Simonos Petras.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni in the statement said a team of Greek archaeologists and conservators would remain in the area to complete a damage inspection.
The undersea quake had a depth of just 12.5 kilometers (7.7 miles) and struck northwest of the enclave's administrative capital of Karyes.
An Orthodox spiritual center since 1054, Mount Athos has enjoyed an autonomous statute since Byzantine times.
Known in Greece as the Holy Mountain, the community has around 20 inhabited monasteries, some of whom are over 1,000 years old.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Japan's Chief Meteorologist Calls Rumors of a July Earthquake a Hoax, Urges People Not to Worry
The head of Japan's meteorological agency on Friday dismissed widespread rumors of a major earthquake in Japan this summer as unscientific and a 'hoax," urging people not to worry because even the most advanced science still cannot predict any quake or tsunami. 'At the moment, it is still impossible to predict an earthquake with specific timing, location or its magnitude,' Japan Meteorological Agency Director General Ryoichi Nomura told reporters. 'Any such prediction is a hoax, and there is absolutely no need to worry about such disinformation." Nomura was referring to rumors in Hong Kong and other Asian cities of a major earthquake or a tsunami in July in Japan have led to flight cancellations and reductions in service, affecting tourism. He said it was 'unfortunate' that many people are affected by the disinformation, though he sympathized with the sense of unease that the people tend to develop toward something invisible. The rumor originates from a 2022 Japanese comic book 'The future I saw,' which features a dream foreseeing a tsunami and is also available in Chinese. The chatter began spreading earlier this year through social media, mainly in Hong Kong. The author previously gained attention for allegedly predicting the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which killed more than 18,000 people. Japan, which sits on the Pacific 'ring of fire,' is one of the world's most quake-prone countries. Last summer, a panel of seismologists noted a slight increase in the probability of a megaquake on Japan's Pacific coasts. The government organized an awareness-raising week but only triggered panic buying, beach closures and other overreactions and complaints. While it is important to inform people about the science, Nomura said, it is also necessary for everyone in this quake-prone country to take early precautions. 'In Japan, an earthquake can occur anytime, anywhere,' Nomura said. 'So I ask everyone to take this opportunity to ensure your preparedness for a major quake.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Centuries-old Monasteries Damaged in Greece Quake
At least three centuries-old Greek monasteries in the religious enclave of Mount Athos were damaged in an earthquake over the weekend, the culture ministry said Wednesday. The ministry said the 5.3-magnitude undersea quake that struck Saturday in the northern Halkidiki peninsula had left structural and decorative damage at the 10th-century Xenophontos and Dochiari monasteries, and the 14th-century Simonos Petras monastery. There were large cracks in church domes at Xenophontos, and further damage to frescoes that had been weakened by a February quake, AFP quoted the ministry as saying. Similar damages were noted at Dochiari monastery, and more limited at Simonos Petras. Culture Minister Lina Mendoni in the statement said a team of Greek archaeologists and conservators would remain in the area to complete a damage inspection. The undersea quake had a depth of just 12.5 kilometers (7.7 miles) and struck northwest of the enclave's administrative capital of Karyes. An Orthodox spiritual center since 1054, Mount Athos has enjoyed an autonomous statute since Byzantine times. Known in Greece as the Holy Mountain, the community has around 20 inhabited monasteries, some of whom are over 1,000 years old.
Asharq Al-Awsat
24-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Fire Walkers Defy Pain in Ancient Greek Ritual
Under a cloud of incense smoke, a group of men and women in a village in northern Greece swayed slowly to the music before removing their shoes and rushing, barefoot, onto waiting embers. The fire walking ritual, held on the day of the Orthodox feast of Saint Constantine and Saint Helena on May 21, has been practiced for over a century in four villages of the Greek region of Macedonia, which borders Bulgaria. Each year, this ceremony -- called "Anastenaria" ("sighs" in Greek) -- attracts crowds of visitors. Considered a pagan ritual to honor the ancient Greek Dionysus and Artemis, the ancient custom was once banned by the powerful Greek Orthodox Church. For the past several decades, cooler heads have prevailed. But the rite remains shrouded in mystery. "Those who walk on fire don't like to talk about it much," explained Sotiris Tzivelis, 86, who grew up in the village of Agia Eleni, near the city of Serres. "Back then, when someone fell ill, we would call the 'anastenarides' to help heal them," he told AFP. The family requesting help would make a special handkerchief, to be blessed during the ceremony. It is one of these handkerchiefs that the ceremony leader, Babis Theodorakis, gives participants to mark the start of the ritual in the "konaki" -- a room decorated with Orthodox icons where participants prepare by dancing to the sound of the lyre and the drum. When ready, they head to a nearby meadow and form a circle around the glowing embers. "I have never walked on fire, but every year, I give our family's handkerchief to the dancers before taking it back at the end of the ritual," said Tzivelis. Pagan ritual According to local tradition, the rite originated in the villages of Kosti and Brodivo in southeastern Bulgaria, where Greek communities lived before emigrating to Greece in the early 20th century with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. "How to walk on fire without getting burned, I can't explain it to you!" said Babis Theodorakis, the ceremony leader. Apostolis Vlaspos, 65, who has practiced the ritual for 20 years, described it as "something internal, an indescribable force". "The first time I walked on fire, I saw the image of Saint Constantine, whom we call 'grandfather', and I felt like an electric shock," he said. After circling the glowing embers three times, participants begin to walk on them, swaying to the music and clutching icons under their arms. When they return to the "konaki", visitors rush to photograph them and check that they have no burns on their feet -- proof of a miracle, according to believers. The ceremony concludes with a meal of mutton specially slaughtered for the occasion. "Those who say that people walking on fire are in a trance are wrong," said villager Kostas Liouros, 67. "What happens to them is natural and requires mental peace and great concentration," he explained. "Some say we drink alcohol or that before removing our socks and shoes, we coat our feet with herbs and things like that, but none of that is true," added another participant, who declined to give his name.
