Karyes, Mount Athos

Karyes (Greek: Καρυές) 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.

History

Serbian Bishop Saint Sava built a church and cell (kelia) at Karyes, where he stayed for some years, becoming a Hieromonk, then an Archimandrite in 1201. He wrote the Karyes Typicon during his stay there, a marble inscription of his work still exists. In 1219 Sava becomes the first Archbishop of Serbia.

In the year 1283, Latin Crusaders during the reign 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).