Summary
Charizanis Georgios, The foundation and the beginning of operation of the Athonic State.
In the past, many researchers have refered to the history of the Holy Mountain and Athonic monasticism. Nevertheless, despite all these studies, the question regarding the time of establishment of the Athonic monastic State remains unenlightened and obscure.
The purpose of this study - which consists of four parts - is a detailed presentation of the beginning of Athonic monasticism (until 1045) based on a thorough - when possible - examination of the Holy Mountain documents and sources. Th e Introduction - where a brief reference to the history of Athos before the settlement of the fi rst hermits is made- is followed by the first part of the study, where the traditions and legends which were created in the course of time, and the theories which were formulated regarding the beginning of the Athonic State are presented. Furthermore, on the basis of historical evidence, the fi rst known hermits in the Holy Mountain are presented (Peter Athonite, Holy Euthymios the Younger, John Kolovos), as well as the fi rst monasteries which were established in Athos and its surroundings.
The second part deals with the imperial documents which were edited on behalf of the Athonic State by the emperors Basileios I Macedon (867-886), Leon VI the Wise (886-912) and Roman I Lecapenus (920- 944) by which the administrative and economic independence of the Holy Mountain was established and secured. In addition, an extensive presentation is attempted of the borders and the central organisation and administration of the Athos monasteries (Protos, Synaxis, etc.).
In the third part the conditions which existed in Athos before the foundation of the monastery of the Great Lavra are presented. According to the historical evidence the hermits in the Holy Mountain lived a hard and diffi cult life. In that time the fi rst modest and small Athonic monasteries appeared (Klementos, Pyrgou or Saint Basileiou, Xeropotamou, Vouleuterion). Furthermore, the establishment of the Great Lavra by Saint Athanasios the Athonite with the support and the generous economic assistance of the emperor Nicephorus Phocas (963-969) is presented. The so-called First Typicon, which was edited in 972 by the emperor John Tsimiskes (969-976) attempted to resolve the problems that arose within the Athonic State because of the quick and enormous growth of the Great Lavra.
Finally, in the fourth part the Athonic monasteries which were established after the foundation of the Great Lavra are presented in detail. New serious problems were created by the sudden increase of the number of monasteries in the Holy Mountain. The Typicon edited by the emperor Constantin IX Monomachos in 1045 tried to resolve these problems. Though its main goal being the achievement of harmony and balance between spiritual life and economical growth, the Typicon did not succeed to prevent large mona steries from concentrating more and more wealth and to annex little and less important monastic establishments.
