Between 1902 and 1975 Dutch newpapers reported 5 fires on Mount Athos:
An old picture with news about the 1902 fire, with a wrong image. This is not Pavlou but Grigoriou!
The first fire occured in 1902 in Ag. Pavlou. Ten monks were killed by the fire in the middle of the night, 20 were wounded. A chapel and the church, plus the archive with its Chrysobulls, were saved. Because the stairways caught fire immediately, monks were forced to use rope to escape and several were wounded trying this. There lived between 76 and 84 monks in the monastery, that was renovated only five years ago.
On 30 April 1924 the news came out that Chilandariou was totally destroyed by fire.
In 1932 a newspaper reported of a massive earthquake, that should have destroyed this monastery (Dionysiou?). Later it showed out that this information was not correct and most of the buildings on Athos were undamaged.
The next fire is reported in the morning of Februari 10th 1966 in Vatopedi: part of the east wing was destroyed and all the unique artifacts and 8000 books, including the ‘Octateuch’ – the first 8 books from the old testament, and the 42 Ptolomeus maps, were saved. The fire was brought under control in the afternoon.
In 1968 the north east wing of the Panteleimon monastery was burned during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Before the first World War 1500 monks lived in this monastery. Only 12 monasteries were still inhabited (??).
on 18 August 1969 the Pantocratoros monastery is threathened by forest fires. Luckily the monastery did not catch fire.
On 21 December 1976 the west wing of the Sografou monastery is next to catch fire: one 75 year old monk died and four were wounded.
March 2004: the large fire in Chilandariou:
2011: a small fire in Panteleimonos.
26 March 2004: fire in the bell tower of the Protaton
Read more about the 1990 fire near Simospetra in post 1146.
Wim, 20/6
