More than 40 monks have died on Mount Athos since the beginning of the pandemic. Out of a total of 1,800 monks on Mount Athos, about a thousand have contracted the coronavirus at least once. Among those who recovered, only 500 were vaccinated.
This week, 150 third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given at the Mount Athos Health Center.
Among the permanent residents of Mount Athos are 400 Serbian, Russian, Bulgarian and Romanian monks, who are known as staunch opponents of vaccines and when there are patients among them refuse to be examined by Greek doctors and call doctors from Belgrade.
The abbot of the Esfigemen monastery, Archimandrite Bartholomew, believes that the number of monks who died as a result of coronavirus infection is over 40. Only yesterday, two people died on Mount Athos.
“Many worthy people have left who have much to offer. Many monks are ill. Others have been intubated. My heart is suffering,” Bartholomew told Ta Nea.
The publication reminds that after Bartholomew’s statement that monks who oppose vaccination call on the faithful not to be vaccinated, the prosecutor’s office in Thessaloniki made an inspection.
