Jonathan Kieran

This Greek mountainous region (actually a remote aerie/enclave containing dozens of ancient monasteries and caves and hermitages) remains one of the more flat-out mysterious and enduring spaces of human residence on the planet. Its priceless relics, scrolls, libraries, artworks, and secrets have been assiduously guarded by the stalwart factions of monks for centuries.

You just know these guys have seen some serious “stuff” through ages of plague, famine, war (within and without), and technological advancement.

What you won’t see in this enormous and revered conglomeration of prayer and pious reflection are, of course, females.

That may be no great shock to anyone discussing the ways and means of Greek Orthodox monks, but the exceedingly rare Lady-sightings that have taken place on Mt. Athos possess a certain curious interest all their own. Some genuinely believe that the ultimate “Lady”—the Virgin Mary herself—photobombed a group of brothers in a 1903 snapshot. I remain skeptical: if the Virgin was going to expend precious miracle-power sneaking into a photograph of loitering monks, wouldn’t she add just a touch of holy razzle-dazzle or some element of symbolic gesture? A soupçon of heavenly mischief, even?

I think about these things so you don’t have to.

And there were lady-bones discovered on Mt. Athos. Egad! Skeletons in a monk’s closet? YOU BET!

[Look for Jonathan Kieran’s fabulous new—as yet untitled—book of hundreds of witty, cynical, zeitgeist-rocking, and knee-slappingly clever cartoons of Pure Smartassery in 2024! Stay tuned for developing news and previews.]

———————————-

#MountAthos #Monks #Skeletons #NoGirlsAllowed #VirginMary #AuthorJonathanKieran #JonathanKieran #WriterJonathanKieran #CaliforniaLife #OnTheEdge #Wistwood #JonathanKieranTheAuthor #JonathanKieranMusic #JonathanKieranNewAlbum #JonathanKieranArtist #Jericho #JonathanKieranJericho #JerichoAlbum #WritersOfInstagram