“A beacon of spirituality, illuminating the path of our faith and nation for more than a millennium” and “a “timeless constant value” in a changing world, with great spirituality and international radiance,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described Mount Athos, in his speech to the Double Holy Assembly of the monastic state (abbots and representatives of the monasteries), in the presence of members of the government and the political administration of Mount Athos, at the Holy Community Hall, today at noon, in Karyes.

At the same time, Mitsotakis announced more than ten actions, the first being the increase of the annual financial support from two to three million euros, the approval of the first nine million euros for the restoration of the damage caused by the recent major earthquake and a series of measures to strengthen infrastructure, the preservation of relics and the solution of chronic problems faced by the monastic state.

The Prime Minister stressed that the preservation of the universal and ecumenical character of Mount Athos constitutes a national duty and pointed out the “heavy responsibility” of the Greek State for the preservation of the historical rights and spiritual activities of the monastic state, “always based on its normative charter”.

“For it is true that here the voice of Greece acquires a new tone and a new intensity that allow it to be heard in the soul of all Orthodox. It is thus transformed into a multiplier of soft power with a universal influence: the Balkans, the Middle East, which is so much tested, Europe, the New Lands, and the United States of America. We are not, therefore, talking only about the possession of our tradition. We are talking about a treasure of global significance. That is why preserving its universal character is a national duty. At the same time, however, it is also a heavy responsibility towards future generations,” he noted.

The Prime Minister, in personal tones, referred to the great spiritual influence that the monastic state has had on him since his youth, his family, and his son, who is accompanying him on this visit, adding:

“Everyone, therefore, ought to realize that Athos, Mount Athos, does not lend itself as a field of influence for other purposes. But even within its borders, it is obvious that its sacred radiance cannot be dimmed by opportunisms that sometimes imprison faith in cheap party clothes.”

The Prime Minister pointed out the strong message that Mount Athos must send out in today’s world, which becomes even more relevant in an ever-changing world.

“In this unstable international environment, the message of this place must be one of truth, adherence to tradition, and open-mindedness, responding with sobriety to extreme topical challenges. And leaving the organized state to coordinate its affairs and confirming that religion has a great power, the power to unite beyond secular beliefs, so that it can spiritually uplift citizens,” Mitsotakis said, and continued.

“From her point of view, let me be a little more specific and start by saying that the State and the government, which I have the honor to preside over, have always focused their attention on issues that concern the well-being and the future of Mount Athos. Issues not only administrative and financial, but also intertwined with our spiritual heritage, honoring above all the self-governance of the monastic state, without ever interfering with it, but with the historical duty, however, not to neglect it.”

The Prime Minister referred to the planning for projects in the monastic state, amounting to 100 million euros, until 2030, mainly from European funds, but also from public funds if required, as well as smaller projects, such as the ongoing renovation of the facilities of the Athoniada School, the digitization of relics, which is progressing, and the new facilities that will house the Police Directorate in Karyes, at a cost of almost 2 million euros, which is being launched with secured funds.

Mitsotakis made special reference to the Christians of the Middle East, as well as to the monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai.

“Trust us, there is no way that the character of this monastery will change, and we are in consultation with the Egyptian side so that this can be secured in a legally strong way for centuries to come,” the Prime Minister said, adding:

“And of course, we must be close to all Orthodox Christians in the Middle East, who are being tested by conflicts, by wars, by bloodshed. Greece today – and I am glad you mentioned this – is a force for stability in the wider region. And you can be sure that we will exercise this diplomatic power, which to a large extent results from the fact that the country is now well and firmly on its feet, to the benefit not only of the Greek people, but also of all Orthodox Christians in the wider Middle East region.”

Below is the full speech of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his meeting with the Abbots and Representatives of the Holy Monasteries and the Holy Diocese of Mount Athos, in Karyes.

Your Holiness, Holy Prime Minister, Holy Priests, Representatives of the 20 Monasteries of Mount Athos, Venerable Fathers, Governor, dear colleagues in the government and in the Parliament,

It is truly a special honor for me to be here today in this beacon of spirituality, which has illuminated this path of our faith and nation for over a millennium.

This is certainly not the first time I have come to the Mount. I was also here with my father, exactly 39 years ago, when I was only 18 years old, in what were then more difficult days for the Mount. I was younger than my son Konstantinos, who accompanies me now, following in me this special family tradition.

And despite my relatively young age at the time, I had realized from the age of 18 that this corner of the world was like no other. For nowhere else does the everyday converse so emphatically with the eternal, which it serves, and nowhere else is the ephemeral so harmoniously connected with the transcendent.

And next to all this in a truly imposing nature which restores man to his true greatness and in an atmosphere that constantly radiates tradition and history. And my other presences here have been just as intense, especially the one in 2016, immediately after my election to the leadership of the New Democracy.

These are, I think, experiences which in their way stamp each pilgrim before they become embedded in their character. That is why I will not hide the decisive influence that this very large spiritual burden of this holy place had on me. It is a truly priceless legacy.

And the most crucial lesson that I have personally learned is the fact that although we all change, as time, necessities, and changing international circumstances sculpt us, the Mount remains a constant, timeless value.

A place with the power to transform roots not into termination boundaries, but into ever-new starting points. And knowing how to translate past time into the present tense of the present and into the future tense of destiny. Making, in other words, tradition a component of evolution.

So I come here today, not only as Prime Minister. I come here as a citizen, this time as a father who is also seeking to broaden his horizons with the compasses of all that pervades the Athos peninsula: truth, faith, social care, commitment to duty, values that Orthodoxy stands for above all else. And next to them, of course, the unquestioning patriotism far from any kind of abuse, just as it is the signpost of the Monastic State’s path to date.

Not from positions inimical to our European orientation, but I dare say because of it. For it is our faith that wants us to be authentic members of a community where the particular characteristics of people constitute its collective wealth and which Byzantium was the first to teach us. So that even after this, the messages may not be imprisoned only in museum exhibits, constituting in the course of time a living current of our timeless identity.

For it is true that here the voice of Greece acquires a new tone and a new intensity that allow it to be heard in the soul of all Orthodox. It is thus transformed into a multiplier of soft power with a universal influence: the Balkans, the Middle East, which is so much tested, Europe, the New Lands, and the United States of America.

The Middle East, the Middle East, the Middle East, the United States, the United States of America.
Mount Athos, therefore, begins from our country to become a catalyst for reflection, with the permanent destination of improving the lives of all of us.

And it is no coincidence that researchers from dozens of universities arrive here to study the patristic texts, while pilgrims from all over travel to meet the spiritual guidance of the monks.

We are not, therefore, talking only about the possession of our tradition. We are talking about a treasure of global significance. That is why preserving its universal character is a national duty. At the same time, however, it is also a heavy responsibility towards future generations.

At the same time, of course, we are called upon to safeguard the historical rights and intellectual activities of the Monastic State, always under its normative charter.

Everyone, therefore, must realize that Athos, the Holy Mountain, does not offer itself as a field of influence for other purposes. But even within its borders, it is obvious that its sacred radiance cannot be dimmed by opportunisms that sometimes imprison faith in cheap party clothes.

For, indeed, you have also referred to the unstable international environment, such as the present one. In this unstable international environment, the message of this place must be one of truth, adherence to tradition, and open-mindedness, responding with sobriety to extreme topical challenges.

And leaving the organized State to coordinate its affairs and affirming that religion has a great power, power to unite beyond secular beliefs, so that it can spiritually uplift citizens.

And if, however, our times dictate anything, it is to resist this new temptation to confuse perceptions – sometimes it becomes confusion of actions – and to keep the boundaries between complex spiritual pursuits and simplistic political positions distinct.

Besides, on Mount Athos, there is no room for any other colours than the blue of the sky and the sea, the blue of the Greek flag.

My revered Fathers, you are the first to understand, I am sure, the serious stakes to which I have referred. For its part, let me be a little more specific and begin by saying that the State and the Government of which I have the honor to preside have always focused their attention on issues that concern the well-being and the future of Mount Athos.

Issues not only administrative and financial, but also intertwined with our spiritual heritage, honoring above all the self-government of the Monastic State, without ever interfering with it, but with the historical duty, however, not to neglect it.

I thus begin with the annual financial support, which has been increased from 1.24 million to 2 million, but by my personal decision, which will indeed be confirmed by the Council of Ministers by rotation, is increased to 3 million as of today.

It is an excess, I consider useful. As long as the needs here grow, the government’s care must grow as well. This, of course, in the context of the country’s budgetary possibilities, which you know that our possibilities are not unlimited, but also with the assistance of European funds, which, as you know, is not always easy.

Because on the one hand, the Mount may adorn Europe and the World, but on the other hand, its unique status is sometimes difficult to understand by the European financial mechanisms.

It therefore takes a battle every time – I assure you – to convince a self-governing spiritual community with no similarities to any other administrative region that it is not right to be trapped in the “labyrinths” of Brussels.

And on a different front – you also mentioned this in your address – the need arises, yes, to work together on the so-called “stock”, that is, on the properties, which were transferred from the Athonite State to the State a century ago with the prospect of being given to landless people.

It is a complex issue. You are well aware that it has been pending for decades, and this, as you know, involves the search for many elements. We will immediately set up a joint committee under the coordination of the Deputy Minister of Finance and while at the same time we will also work to resolve the long-standing issue of the Esfigmenos Monastery, always respecting the traditions of the Mount and the observance of order and the contemplative and ascetic life of the Athonite State.

Next to the problems of the past, however, there are also those of the present and those of the future: natural disasters, the climate crisis, which is already knocking at our door. Two challenges which, especially for Mount Athos, pose particular threats, since the monuments of Athos and its natural environment have been an integral part of monastic life for more than a thousand years. Any damage, therefore, must be repaired as soon as possible and, above all, the prevention of risks must be organised more and more effectively.

I understand that the inspections of the main buildings after the last earthquakes have been completed so that restoration work can begin. The first 9 million for this work has already been approved by the state, with the goal that the work will be done in a way that does not impede the lives of visitors.

While, at the same time, as you know, the opening of forest roads is also proceeding, with the help of the Armed Forces, not only as access points for firefighters, no less, but also as fire prevention zones.

And speaking, however, of infrastructure, I’ll refrain from grandstanding. On the interconnection of the Mount, I know that the upgrading of the port of Ouranoupolis has been bogged down in red tape for more than two decades, but I will commit today that, along with the other aspects of the transportation problem, it will be a priority.

Let’s not forget that some 200,000 visitors come every year, while 2,000 monks and more than 1,000 workers move through the same areas.

And as far as the electrical interconnection with the rest of the territory is concerned, an important project is underway, a study by DEDDIE, for an underground network, with funds from the European Investment Bank. An important project, which will bring great benefits: environmental, economic, and safety. You see that many of the forest fires that we have been forced to deal with lately start, unfortunately, from above-ground electricity transmission networks.

And with the same positive footprint left by the simplification of renewable energy sources, waste management, and waste water management, which is equally necessary.

If I have counted correctly, I have mentioned about ten fields of action where the State is stepping up its efforts, as your co-sponsor.

To these, finally, I would like to add a few more. First, the settlement of the pending issues concerning the Athonite Church Academy. Its contribution to theological education began, as you know, in 1749; we must continue it, and therefore its facilities will be quickly renovated, which will make the living of its students better.

Then, the digitization of the sacred relics, which is already in progress, with the aim of their wider promotion and, of course, the promotion of small and larger projects of an urgent nature. Among these, the facilities that will house the Police Directorate in Karyes, under the title “Security Department of Mount Athos”, at a cost of almost 2 million euros. This project is underway, and the resources have been found. As the number of visitors increases, so will the need to maintain the order and harmony befitting the Mount.

All of this, then, is part of a new financial plan, under the supervision of the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Papathanasis. The amount we intend to spend is 100 million by 2030 from NSRF funds that have not been absorbed, from the next NSRF, and from the addition of the Public Investment Programme, where necessary.

It is a programme in which several Ministries are involved, with parallel initiatives. It will be under the coordination, the central coordination of the Vice President of the Government, and of course,e Mr. Papathanasis will have a key, decisive role.

But this program will succeed only with your cooperation alongside the Governor, whom I want to thank for his commitment to his sacred mission. And to this cooperation, I do indeed sincerely look forward.

What is certain is that the State and I personally will not cease to be at your side, not only with funding and legislative interventions, but above all with the recognition of the strategic, national and spiritual value of the Mount. It is a thread that runs through our common action.

Just as we will stand by – and I am glad you mentioned this – the monks of St. Catherine of Sinai, protecting this bastion of Orthodoxy. Trust us, there is no way the character of this monastery can be changed and we are in consultation with the Egyptian side to ensure that this is secured in a legally strong way for centuries to come.

And of course, we must be close to all Orthodox Christians in the Middle East, who are being tested by conflicts, by wars, by bloodshed.

Greece today – and I am glad you mentioned it – is a force for stability in the wider region. And you can be sure that we will exercise this diplomatic power, which to a large extent results from the fact that the country is now well and firmly on its feet, to the benefit not only of the Greek people, but also of all Orthodox Christians in the wider Middle East region.

I conclude, Holy Fathers, Mr. Governor, with a thought that I had while looking again at this imposing landscape: in a world that is ever more deeply divided, the Mount is called upon to build bridges that will ultimately lift man higher.

In an environment where we now find it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood, in an environment where the advance of technology, note, only through the term artificial intelligence, comes essentially to question the very nature of man and his privilege to think, to meditate, to feel, to pray. In this environment, then, this place needs as much as ever to continue to teach its pure, sober outlook, serving the enduring, which is not subject to the ephemeral. You, after all, are serving as daily ambassadors.

I would like to thank you once again for your very warm welcome, for your hospitality, and for your warm words. I am grateful for your prayers, and I assure you that all of you here, in the monasteries, in the sketes, in the cells, in the retreats, will have not only my thoughts but also my actions. It is our historic duty to keep this unique flame of Mount Athos. It is a flame that warms the souls of all Orthodox and illuminates the path of our nation.

Thank you