"Russians Aren't Coming": Mount Athos and the surrounding area are complaining about a drop in revenue due to the absence of pilgrims from Russia

Mount Athos continues to be one of the world’s leading centers of spiritual tourism, attracting thousands of pilgrims from around the world each year. Despite a significant increase in visitor numbers, local business owners and representatives of the tourism sector report serious economic difficulties and a critical lack of modern infrastructure, according to Vima Orthodoxias.

According to official data, between January 1 and June 16, the number of passengers arriving on Mount Athos by sea increased by 30% compared to last year. The composition of pilgrims has also changed: since 2022, the flow of visitors from Russia and Ukraine has virtually ceased. Currently, the majority of visitors are from Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Cyprus, and Greece.

Despite high ferry occupancy rates, local business owners are complaining about a drop in revenue. Owners of religious goods stores in Uranopolis note that the purchasing power of today’s pilgrims is significantly lower than that of the previous group of affluent customers from Russia. In addition, the condition of the port infrastructure in Uranopolis remains a serious problem—the narrow pier cannot handle the increased flow of people, which is causing discontent among local residents and business owners, who are waiting for assistance from the government.

The situation is further complicated by the declining popularity of boat tours around the peninsula, which used to allow tourists—including women—to view the architectural ensembles of the monasteries from the water. Nevertheless, the authorities of the Aristotle District are urging people not to overreact, emphasizing the importance of visits by clergy from various countries, including Lebanon and Moldova, to the local economy. An important step for the region’s development was the Central Macedonia region’s receipt of 5.3 million euros in EU funding, which will be allocated to restoration work at seven monasteries and sketes on Mount Athos.

It should be noted that earlier, Bartholomew, the abbot of the Mount Athos monastery of New Esfigmen, spoke about how Mount Athos is combating “Russian influence.” The clergyman emphasized that Mount Athos falls under the canonical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and consistently opposes “Moscow’s expansionist ambitions,” which, in his words, “are political and ideological in nature.”