SV2ASP/A – Mount Athos
The monastic republic is politically formed by a peninsula (except for its northernmost part), so-called. Autonomous Monastic Republic (autonomous monastic state) within Greece. Mount Athos is named after itself 2033 m high hill. The area of the monastic republic is 336 km², It is here 20 self-governing monasteries, the number of inhabitants exceeds 2000 orthodox Christian monks. It is the only place in the world inhabited exclusively by men, whose main goal is the glorification of the Trinitarian God and the fight against passion in the pursuit of eternal life, next to the throne of God. Women and children are prohibited from entering the territory of the monastic republic.
Visitors are provided with four-day permits to stay on the peninsula, which could be extended under certain circumstances. According to the unwritten law of hospitality, monasteries provide visitors with free accommodation and food. If someone wishes, he can stay in one of the monasteries for a longer period of time, participate in their daily life and help with various jobs.
Na jar 1986 the monastery remained without a telephone for more than five months, event, which is not uncommon on Mount Athos. It happened, that of one of the brothers, who worked in the garden, a stone fragment hit his eye. Only after two days did he get to the AHEPA hospital in Thessaloniki. When Mr. Georgiadis, a professor of ophthalmology and then president of the radio amateur union in northern Greece heard this story, he recommended, for someone in the monastery to become a radio amateur, to guarantee communication in the event of an emergency, for the safety of the monks, as well as treasures, important medieval written and artistic monuments stored in the monastery.
After his studies, Monk Apollo embarked on the path of complete devotion to Christ and became a monk in 1973. He has been a member of the board of directors of the Dochiariou monastery on the holy Athos peninsula since 1980. His competences include hydraulics, electric, heavy machinery and other general duties related to the maintenance of the monastery.
In year 1988 obtained a concession, is the only active radio amateur on Athos. He made the first connection in 1990. Radio amateur friends from all over the world visit it every year. Unforgettable, he had a very moving meeting with the Russian cosmonaut Valery Korzun, R0ISS with whom he had connections with the exchange of digital photos during his six-month mission to the ISS in 2002. During his visit to the monastery, he showed him his hamshack, from where he established connections with the space station. He also showed him the candlestick, where he lit a candle for him and his crew every night.
As a monk, he must constantly remind himself, that carries heavy, more than a thousand years old heritage on his shoulders. It's a legacy, which he deeply respects and feels obliged to spread throughout the world. From distant Athos, places, which continues to live undisturbed according to its own ancient rhythms and unchanged way of life …
S Monk Apollom, SV2ASP/A I had a rare connection tonight 1.1.2016 on 80 m band. I listened to him for a while, when he was giving the challenge. It was weird to me, that no one called him, I heard him well. I said my call sign, dal mi report 59. I asked him his name just to be sure, said Monk Apollo. And then it started, the stations called him head over heels, like being stuck in a hornet's nest!
YOU 73! Fairy, OM3CAQ
