Karyes (Athos)

Karyes is a settlement in Mount Athos. It is the seat of the clerical and secular administration of the Athonite monastic state. The 2001 Greek census reported a population of 233 inhabitants. It is the largest settlement in Mount Athos.

The major church at Karyes is the "Protaton", which is the church of the Protos, or president of the monastic community.

In the year 1283, Latin Crusaders acting under the authority of the Byzantine Emperor Michael Paleologos attacked Mount Athos. They tortured and hanged the Protos, and sacked the Protaton, murdering many of the monks. These monks are commemorated as martyrs by the Orthodox Church on December 5 (for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar, December 5 falls on December 18 of the Gregorian Calendar).

External links

* [http://www.mountathos.gr/active~mode~en%7B76e23a7e-e5cb-4d22-a674-8dced1a077f8%7DView.html Τhe capital of the Holy Mountain]
* [http://www.culture.gr/2/21/212/21210a/e212ja25.html Hellenic Ministry of Culture: Church of Protaton at Karyes]
* [http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/karyes.html Mount Athos: The town of Karyes]
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=108908 Monastic Martyrs of Karyes] Orthodox synaxarion