Athos

National Information
Athos is a nation which embodies the spiritual podvig centering around True Orthodox Christianity. Although most of its inhabitants are of the monastic orientation, Athos is a welcoming, loving community. The Patriarchal See of Athos (currently presided by His Holiness Ioannis IV) is an important spiritual and monastic centre of the True Orthdoxy.

The citizens of Athos work diligently to produce Water and Coal as tradable resources for their nation. It is a mostly neutral country when it comes to foreign affairs. It will usually only attack another nation if attacked first. It believes nuclear weapons are necessary for the security of its people. Plans are on the way within Athos to open new rehabilitation centers across the nation and educate its citizens of the dangers of drug use. Athos allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It welcomes all new immigrants with open borders. Free speech is a principle of the Athosian state, however this does not account for the cultural reactions towards certain choice-phrases. Furthermore, the Athosian government gives whatever is necessary to help others out in times of crisis, even it means hurting its own economy. And above all, in seeking a binding trade relationship, Athos will not make deals with another country that has a poor history of inhuman treatment of its citizens.

Notable National Events
2007 January Rain Storm

In January of 2007, Athos experienced a torrential rain storm. Suffering from a terrible drought, several months long, in the outlying Goyima Highlands of Athos, monsoon-like rains stampeded across Athosian coasts on January 16th killing 10 people in Sophronos and another 5 in Thessalonika. Floods and poor architectural housing were partly to blame for these unfortunate casualties. This has been the worst recorded natural disaster in Athos, since its initial Independence on December 4th, 2006. Funerals for the dead were held in the National Cathedral on Sunday, January 21st for the 15 lost, with HH Patriarch Ioannis IV presiding. 

Operation Kontakion

On January 18th, 2007 at 1:27 AM, the Athosian government sanctioned the Patriarch's wishes to engage in warfare with the nation known as Defcon Six. Already a few days into the war, Athosian citizens have questioned whether or not HH Patriarch Ioannis rationally thought out the premise for which he initiated this excursion (He insisted that there was a socio-economic incongruency between the two nations; numerous representatives have remained weary of such a move, although still support HH's best wishes). This has been a primarily Athosian motive; ambiguous decrees were recieved from HM King Olaf of Royal Scandinavia and the Honorable Governor Zoopoios of Paparia, although critics of the operation suggest that there was little information and time alloted to the two magistrates to consider whether or not to fully support HH's wishes. But, as the leading anthropological scholar Yorgo Ziakis from Aristotle University in Esphigmenou points out, there is enough evidence to suggest that the two magistrates were fully aware of such an excursion and their ambiguous decisions rest solely upon their responsibility.

Battle of the Little Kontakia This was the first battle, and decisive victory, for the Athosian army. Defcon Six was attacked by Patriarch Ioannis IV, whereupon he lost 138 soldiers and 0 tanks. In turn, D.S. killed 61 soldiers and 1 tanks of HH. HH's forces razed 0.826 miles of Defcon land, stole 0.000 technology, and destroyed 3.179 infrastructure. HH's forces looted $473.05 and gained $0.00 in abandoned equipment. In the end the battle was a Defeat for the Defcon nation.

Battle of the Great Kontakia Defcon Six was attacked by Patriarch Ioannis IV. Defcon lost 153 soldiers and 0 tanks. In turn, HH lost 77 soldiers and 3 tanks. However, HH gained the upper hand and HH's forces razed 0.793 miles of land, stole 0.000 technology, and destroyed 3.292 infrastructure. They then looted a significant amount, totaling to $2,029.61, gained $0.00 in abandoned equipment. In the end the battle was a Defeat for the Defcon nation and a victory for Athos.

March of the Preobrazhenie This battle soon followed up the second attack of the Great Kontakia. Defcon Six lost 153 soldiers and 0 tanks. In turn, HH lost 77 soldiers and 3 tanks. HH's forces razed 0.793 miles of land, stole 0.000 technology, and destroyed 3.292 infrastructure. The forces of Athos looted $2,029.61 from Defcon and gained $0.00 in abandoned equipment. In the end the battle was a victory for Athos.

Fast Facts concerning Athosian Life
· Official Motto: Ορθοδοξια η Θανατοσ (Orthodoxy or Death). · The nation of Athos was formally declared a Sovereign Land 12/4/2006 9:03:20 PM. · National capital and Patriarchal center in Stavronikita. · Operates under Federal Government. · War is an option for Athos. · As of 1/1/07, the National Census recorded 1,303 Supporters. · National Currency is the Rouble. · Current tax rate is at a steady level of 23%. · Primarily of Athosian ethnicity, with a large community of Paparians located in the heart of Pantokratora.

National Anthem
· Listen to the Athosian National Anthem (WAV) Glorious things of thee are spoken, Athos, city of our God! He, Whose Word cannot be broken, Formed thee for His own abode. On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation’s walls surrounded, Thou may’st smile at all thy foes. See! the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love; Well supply thy sons and daughters, And all fear of want remove: Who can faint while such a river Ever flows their thirst t’assuage? Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver, Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering, See the cloud and fire appear! For a glory and a cov’ring Showing that the Lord is near. Thus deriving from our banner Light by night and shade by day; Safe they feed upon the manna Which He gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Athos, Washed in the Redeemer’s blood! Jesus, Whom their souls rely on, Makes them kings and priests to God. ’Tis His love His people raises, Over self to reign as kings, And as priests, His solemn praises Each for a thank offering brings.

Savior, if of Athos city, I through grace a member am, Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy Name. Fading is the worldling’s pleasure, All his boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting treasure None but Athos' children know.

Definition of Government and Foreign Relations
An Anthology of Athosian Political and International Thought Compiled by Representatives of HH Patriarch Ioannis IV of the Athosian Orthodox Church

The apparent Orthodox Christian morals that guide our nation’s social and political orientation is by no means degraded in any way, shape or form in the diplomatic conclusions as reached by our esteemed leaders. Athos, with its roots as a monastic community, was a nation founded upon explicitly Orthodox Christian moral codes (as taught by the wise sages and fathers of the Church) and will continue to be as long as the faith is upheld among the masses. However, it would harm the very center of the Holy Gospel to not consider those populations that are not of the Orthodox Christian majority and thought, who have been welcomed into the lands of Athos throughout the centuries. Therefore, we the undersigned would like to use the example of the treatment of Athosian minorities to outline how we perceive, with the blessings of His Holiness Patriarch Ioannis IV, political and international thought – in light of recent events.

As noted before, Athos began initially as a purely Orthodox Christian monastic nation – fleeing from the upheavals and religious persecutions in the Ottomo-Safavid Sultanate. Through the monastic community’s tribulations in the Ottomo-Safavid Sultanate, having experienced the second-rate Dhimma class, they brought with them a renewed understanding of the Holy Gospel and Tradition, in how we should construct a community. The one principle they found that this community should rely on is: love, and purely love.

This naturally worked in the beginning, with a community of one interest and one phronema. The challenge came when a group of indigenous Paparian monks (of Athosian jurisdiction), from the frozen, barren yet pious land of Paparia, moved to the Holy City of Pantokratora, kindly invited by His Holiness the Patriarch Ioannis. Unluckily for them, this met with some resistance on the part of the locals (whose nation's literacy rate is, like Paparia's at the time standing at 20%), or rather discomfort, to the idea of incorporating these fellow monastic – who, as befits a different culture, brought with them strange culinary habits and language of their own – into the Athosian social makeup. This was because of the hundreds of years spent in isolation as a sovereign Orthodox monastic republic. But those descendants of the monks who lived in the Dhimma realized that this time would be a perfect example to exercise the principle our forefathers understood. The Paparians were welcomed with warm greetings by the majority of monasteries – yet there swiftly emerged a considerable party of Athosian monks who dissented from the idea of assimilating a separate ethnic, and religious, group into the Athosian milieu.

Moreover, monastic discipline came to be jeopardized. Athosian monks, normally celebrated for their ascetic virtue, would suddenly break their fast with the extremely tasty Paparian husky steak and a strong peculiarly tasting Paparian Prytva (seaweed vodka).

This vocal dissenting opinion by over-indulgent unruly monks protested heavily against the notion, to the point of setting on fire a considerable amount of the Paparian monastic settlement in Pantokratora. The reigning Patriarch at the time, His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius III, would not tolerate this activity and gave the dissenting monks a choice: to come to terms with the Paparians and exercise their Christian office of agape, or leave the country. Disgusted, these monks left. It is alleged, by Athosian historians at Philoptochos University in Sapharana, that these monks settled in Paparia and then gave a new impetus to the already vibrant Orthodox Christian presence there – with an indelible mark of prejudice against Paparian celtic culture, notwithstanding a warm welcome by the Paparian Royal Government and special courtesy treatment by His Majesty's Diplomatic Secretariat.

With a new minority and religious expression in Athos, the monasteries had to comprehend how to organize its political sphere to incorporate a tolerance for non-Orthodox beliefs, but maintain incomparable Orthodox Christian morals. The system that they transformed, to meet the needs of its day and future, is what is currently upheld. The Athosian National government would be divided into two spheres, state and church.

These would work together in a symphonia, without being mixed together or influenced against will with one another. The state would maintain a secularized role, in which it would facilitate economic, judicial, political, and social issues. When these issues crossed over into a question of ethics, morality, and faith the church would interject with an opinion, or recommendation. Within the “church” sphere would also be presented the minority opinion, by the Minority Delegate from X-social-group. Each individual in Athos, defined by his religious adherence, is given the opportunity to select from a variety of rulings that call for a religious opinion. These rulings would be defined by this or that religious group’s opinions. So say an Orthodox Christian questions the validity of practicing abortion. He would then be supplied with the opinion from the Church, and, if he wishes, an opinion from the minority group. He may then decide which opinion he would rather adhere to, although he must keep in mind that particularly with the Church, rejecting the opinion of the bishops warrants a spiritual reexamination and dilemma. Nevertheless, he has the choice. He has the choice to do “bad” or “good,” from whatever opinion he so chooses to define this from. The government is not relativist in this respect, but rather open to the very fact that the thoughts of humanity is not a monolith. The Church and certain minority groups do hold to particular absolute statements, and both engage in important dialogues/conventions with which apologetics and debates are held (these are known as Soupolouniki’s), which help to give guidance to a population inquiring to these positions and moral codes. By this, the opportunity of choice is given and maintains that no matter how terrible one side may see something, that “terrible” notion can still exist and engage in a fruitful discussion.

From the Church’s perspective, we believe that this opportunity is vital in maintaining Christian love, let alone basic human rights – something that every party in Athos is able to agree on. Altruism is a fundamental of the Church, and consequentially for a majority of representatives and laypeople which both help to shape our governmental policy.

Using the example of the Athosian Orthodox interaction with religious minorities, we are able to firmly pronounce our beliefs on the said topic. We cannot agree, then, with the current state of diplomacy and policy in the co-founders of the esteemed Arctic Byzantine Alliance, Paparia and Royal Scandinavia. Christian government is its own government, not of this world. It is a government that rules in the soul, in a Vasilea ton Theon, that fights continually with the forces that so hope to diminish the role of Christ in our lives. Temporally, the role of a Christian particularly within the scope of government is not to dictate its beliefs through violent means, but rather through kind dialogue and firm affirmation of creed and belief. It is only through our example that Christ is made known to this dark world. And it is that very point that needs to be kept in mind when formulating our governments and policy agendas with non-Orthodox nations and peoples.

From the Office of His Holiness,

His Grace Bishop Andrew His Grace Bishop Chrysostomos His Grace Bishop Ignatius His Grace Bishop Matthew His Grace Bishop Cyril His Grace Bishop Polycarp His Grace Bishop Theophilius His Grace Bishop Gregorios His Grace Bishop Demetrios His Grace Bishop Photios His Grace Bishop Basilios