Archon “Archiving and Translating Ottoman Historic Records at Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain” Webinar Panel Discussion

With the blessing and under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, join the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Academia Symposium Committee who will present a webinar panel discussion: “Archiving and Translating Ottoman Historic Records at Mount Athos , the Holy Mountain on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 2 P.M. EST/ 9 P.M. Athens EEST. Lou Katsos a member of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Academia Symposium Committee and EMBCA’s President will be moderating this discussion. The distinguished panel will include:

Prof. Dr. Johannes Niehoff- Panagiotidis of the Freie Universitat Berlin
Anastasios Nikopoulos - Lawyer and Law Historian
Richard Wittman,PHD - Associate Director of the Orient-Institut Istanbul
Jamshid Tirani, PHD graduate student in translation studies at Freie Univeritat Berlin
Fr. Kosmas Petris (Simonopetris), PHD
Dr. Venessa R. de Obaldia, with Maciej Pawlinowski Head of CHIL at Cambridge University Library.

Join us for this unique discussion with among the foremost authorities on the subject and who have started to archive, translate, research and analyze the very valuable historic Ottoman documents at Mount Athos.

The Ottoman records on Mount Athos provide a valuable historical perspective on the interactions between the Ottoman Empire and the monastic community on this holy mountain. Mount Athos, a very significant center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Despite the empire’s Islamic foundation, Ottoman sultans granted privileges to the monastic community, allowing the monks to preserve their religious practices and self-governing status. The Ottoman records, primarily tax registers, property deeds, and legal documents, reveal the empire’s complex approach to governing non-Muslim subjects.

These documents illustrate the fiscal arrangements that enabled monasteries to pay taxes in exchange for protection and autonomy, preserving their lands and spiritual traditions. The records also shed light on issues such as land disputes, economic contributions of the monasteries, and interactions with local Ottoman officials. Ottoman tolerance of Mount Athos reflects the pragmatic and flexible policies the empire applied to diverse communities, fostering stability. Thus, Ottoman records on Mount Athos not only document the mountain’s administrative and economic history but also reveal a unique coexistence between Islamic governance and Orthodox Christian tradition, providing insights into the broader dynamics of the empire’s diverse society.

Archiving and translating the Ottoman records on Mount Athos is crucial for preserving insights into the empire’s relationship with Orthodox Christian communities. Translating these documents makes them accessible to a broader audience, offering valuable historical, cultural, and political perspectives. Such efforts help scholars understand Ottoman policies toward non-Muslim subjects, while also preserving the heritage of Mount Athos and illuminating an important chapter in the history of interfaith interactions.

The East Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance/ EMBCA is honored to host this Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Academia Symposium Committee event.