Conflict between Greek monks flares up

Published: Sunday 31 August 2008 15:22 UTC
Last updated: Sunday 31 August 2008 15:22 UTC

A conflict between a groups of monks has flared up on the holy mountain of Athos in Greece, following years of dispute. A group of extremely orthodox monks is threatening to blow itself up according to the Greek media.

The group has isolated itself from the 19 other monasteries on Athos because it fiercely opposes dialogue with the Roman Catholic church. The other groups of monks think they should leave the mountain because of this. But the extremist monks say they will blow their monastery up with dynamite, petrol and gas bottles if they have to. There were skirmishes on Sunday, when another group of monks tried to enter the rebel monastery.

There were similar incidents 18 months ago on the eastern peninsula of Chalkidiki, in which seven monks were seriously injured.

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