Holier than thou

Mount Athos is a self-governed monastic territory in Greece, where 20 or so monasteries coexist. However, on May 22, the Associated Press reported, one young monk was hospitalized after allegedly being attacked by brothers of the Esphigmenou Monastery, whose members have defied court and church orders to leave the premises. The dispute began in the 1970s and has involved violent clashes, legal battles and supply blockades. According to police, the rebel monks used garden tools to injure the victim. However, the accused brotherhood denied the claims.