2203 – After the Corona lock-down: Athos reopens partially from May 11th 2021

Dark skies over Athos will disappear soon

Update 25/06, thanks to our reader Japetus:

For the time being, no covid vaccination certificate, private pcr test, selftest etc. are accepted to enter Athos.
All visitors -with no exception whatsoever- are required prior to receiving their diamoniteria to undertake a -free- rapid test from a post located just outside the diamonitiria office. To all those with negative results, a receipt is given which presenting it is required both at the diamonitiria issuing office as well as when boarding the ship.

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Finally some good news: Orthodoxia News Agency has just reported that the Holy Mountain will again receive pilgrims from tomorrow, May 11, 2021. The lock-down period ends today, May 10th. However, there are restrictions:

  1. for each monastery ten diamonitiria/visitors,
  2. for each koinobitic skiti five,
  3. for each idiorritmic skiti two and
  4. for each kelli or hermitage one diamonitírion/visitor.

Hiking/travelling from one monastery to another is still forbidden, you can only visit one monastery. The restrictions include the mandatory tests for the coronavirus at the entry points of the Holy Mountain, with only those with negative results beiing allowed to enter.

According mr Lolis Christos from the Pilgrimsoffice in Ouranopolis/Thessaloniki these few special permits are given by the monasteries or skitis/cells themselves. We will have wait a little more until the general permits to visit Athos reopen.

For a few pilgrims this is good news, let’s hope that the general permit for all pilgrims will be back soon.

Wim Voogd, 10-11 May 2021

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6 Responses to 2203 – After the Corona lock-down: Athos reopens partially from May 11th 2021

  1. anestaki27 says:

    God willing, I will visit this Holy place very soon. I’m so grateful that the opening has finally occurred after a long, long wait!

  2. anestaki27 says:

    Quite beautiful!
    Hristos Anesti!
    I’m sorry to interrupt this very fulfilling and interesting conversation, but, I am a Greek-American Greek Orthodox man hoping to visit Agion Oros in the very near future (God willing)! I am having a hard time finding information on how to approach making arrangements. Please help me?
    God bless you all…

  3. Japetus says:

    For the time being, no covid vaccination certificate, private pcr test, selftest etc. are accepted to enter Athos.
    All visitors -with no exception whatsoever- are required prior to receiving their diamoniteria to undertake a -free- rapid test from a post located just outside the diamonitiria office. To all those with negative results, a receipt is given which presenting it is required both at the diamonitiria issuing office as well as when boarding the ship.

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