Monks come to blows at rebel monastery in Vatican dispute
(Filed: 25/11/2005)

Orthodox monks traded blows yesterday in the Mount Athos monastic community in northern Greece as a bitter fight between church authorities and a rebel monastery turned violent.

A spokesman for the besieged Esphigmenou Monastery said workmen and rival monks tried to demolish the community's offices at Karyes, the administrative centre of the medieval sanctuary - from which women and female animals are banned.

"They used pickaxes, spades and crowbars to try to break down the door," said Father Neophytos. "They were trying to throw us out."

Police said nobody was injured in the clashes. Story