The Russians on Athos : with special reference to the Prophet Elijah Skete

Abstract

This thesis examines the relations between Greek and Russian Athonites. The two coexisted without friction from the eleventh century to the first half of the nineteenth. Entreated by the destitute Greek brethren to save St Panteleimon from closure, the Russians installed themselves in that monastery in 1839, from which date until the eve of the First World War Russians flocked to Athos in increasing numbers. Soon there were more Russians there than any other nationality. As the Russian contingent grew, its relationship worsened with the Greeks. This thesis examines the causes of this deterioration against the background of the Eastern Question, the growth of the Kingdom of Greece, the creation of the Bulgarian Exarchate, the Balkan Wars, and the World War. A concatenation of events heightened ethnic tension on Mount Athos and produced a series of crises during the controversial installation of the first Russian abbot at St Panteleimon and in subsequent years. The 1917 October Revolution truncated ties with Russia, and Russian Athos rapidly declined.

The second half of the thesis examines the Prophet Elijah Skete, with which the modern story of the Russians on Athos begins and is concluded. The Skete's founder, St Paisiy, started the first substantial settlement in recent times of Russians on Athos. His community was self-sufficient and lived in poverty. As Russian Athonites became richer and more numerous his way of life was forgotten, but was revived of necessity after 1917. Although on the eve of the World War it was rich and populous, the skete deviated less than the other Russian houses from its founder's ideals. This was partly because the skete's Small Russian brotherhood was on the periphery of the Greek-Russian quarrel, and also thanks to the enlightened leadership of some of its priors.

Most of what has been written about the Russians on Athos has been from either a Greek or Russian point of view. This thesis attempts to take both sides into account and draw objective conclusions. It also breaks new ground because it is based on unpublished archive material, much of which has survived only on the author's microfilm.

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