Obtaining a Diamonitirion at the Pilgrim's Bureau

© 2000 The Friends of Mount Athos

The Diamonitirion

The diamonitiria (plural: diamonitiria) is the official permit for staying on Mount Athos, issued usually for a stay of four days for non-Orthodox visitors. It is your official Identification during your stay on Mount Athos. You cannot embark on the ferry boat to Mount Athos without it. Upon arrival at a monastery, visitors planning to stay the night register in a guest book in which they enter the identification number of the diamonitirion. Visitors may not extend their stays beyond the term specified on the dimonitirion, unless they receive an official extension from the Holy Executive of the Holy Mountain..

The Pilgrim's Bureau

Diamonitiria are issued in Ouranoupolis at the Pilgrim's Bureau. The Pilgrim's Bureau is located on a side street which goes from the main road down toward the sea. At the intersection is the town's only automobile service station. The Pilgrim's Bureau is located just behind the service station. It is well marked with a large yellow sign in Greek and English. 
Holy Executive of the Holy Mountain
       Pilgrim's Bureau

The Pilgrim's Bureau opens at 8:00 each morning, well in advance of the 9:45 a.m. departure of the morning ferry boat from Ouranoupolis to Daphne (the port of Mount Athos) and in time for pilgrims arriving on the morning bus from Thessaloniki. It is also open several hours each afternoon for those wishing to obtain permits a day in advance.

Maintained for the Friends of Mount Athos by
Robert W. Allison
North N. American Secretary, The Friends of Mount Athos
Dept. of Philosophy & Religion, Bates College
Lewiston, Maine 04240

Responses to the Friends of Mount Athos may be sent by e-mail to

Dr. Graham Speake, hon. secretary
Prof. Robert W. Allison, N. American Secretary

Responses may also be sent by post addressed to:

Dr. Graham Speake
Ironstone Farmhouse, Milton, Banbury
OX15 4HH England
(fax: 01295-722047; from the U.S.A.: 011-44-1295-722047)

or:

Robert W. Allison
Dept. of Philosophy and Religion
Bates College
73-75 Campus Avenue
Lewiston, Maine, 04240 U.S.A.
(fax: 207-786-6401)

Last Updated: April 27, 2000 

http://www.bates.edu/~rallison/friends/diamonitiria.html