Earthquakes damage centuries-old religious sites in Greece's Mount Athos

The quakes caused “severe cracks” in the dome of the Monastery of Xenophon, which was built in the late 10th century, the culture ministry said.

Centuries-old monasteries have been damaged by an ongoing series of earthquakes in a secluded monastic community in northern Greece, authorities said on Friday.

Mount Athos is one of the most important religious sites for Orthodox Christians, and is often referred to as the Holy Mountain. (AP)

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the Mount Athos peninsula on June 7, followed by a series of both undersea and land-based tremors that continued through Friday.

The quakes caused “severe cracks” in the dome of the Monastery of Xenophon, which was built in the late 10th century, and damaged religious frescoes at that site and several others, the Culture Ministry said.

Mount Athos is one of the most important religious sites for Orthodox Christians, and is often referred to as the Holy Mountain. It is a semi-autonomous monastic republic and is home to 20 Orthodox monasteries.

The self-governing community still observes strict traditions under Greek sovereignty, including a ban on all women entering the territory.

“We are fully aware of the immense archaeological, historical, and spiritual significance of Mount Athos, and we are ensuring that all damage is addressed according to scientific and ethical standards,” Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said.

The restoration work — including structural reinforcement and the repair of artwork — will be expanded and accelerated, Mendoni added.

A more detailed assessment of the damage is expected next week, the Culture Ministry said.

The June 7 earthquake was followed by a series of smaller quakes, which suggests an aftershock sequence, Emmanuel Scordilis, a professor of seismology at the University of Thessaloniki, said.

The scale of the fault line in the area is unlikely to produce an earthquake more powerful than 6.0 magnitude, he added.