greek orthodox monasteries believe women are impure...

... and have banned them for 1000 years.

this is not some obscure place -- this is a widely known community of monasteries. i've often wondered how people are comfortable with this situation, but gladly i've learned that they're not.

a land dispute has focused international attention on the area...

on the international herald tribune:

'a group of female protesters locked in a land dispute with the greek orthodox church defied a 1,000-year-old ban and entered the all-male mount athos monastic sanctuary in northern greece, a police official said wednesday.

police said the small group of protesters, who live in a nearby village, climbed over a fence on tuesday and briefly entered the self-governing peninsula, where women are strictly forbidden. the group included at least six women.'

details here.

and on B92 news:

'a 1,000-year-old ban on women in the greek monastic community of mt. athos crumbled, albeit briefly, yesterday.

a mixed crowd of local villagers marched into the enclave to protest against the monks' alleged encroachment on public land, a protest leader said.

around 500 women and men from villages in the halkidiki peninsula in northern greece took a few steps into the territory of the self-governing community of some 20 monasteries before a police cordon stopped them, police and the organiser said.

"it was a symbolic act, we have broken the 'avaton'," said protest organiser kyriaki malama, referring to the 1045 ad decree that forbids women access on grounds of impurity.

"we demand that the greek government and the european union intervene to stop the monasteries from acting as if they are above the law."'

and

'several feminist groups in greece and other countries have tried to have the medieval law nullified.

the european parliament asked greece to make gender rights equal in 2002 and 2003, both times with no results.'

(emphasis mine.) details here.


via devious diva's oustanding blog, this is not my country

.