Video. In pictures, the diversified monastic community of Mont Athos

Founded in the 13th century on Mount Athos in Greece, the monastery welcomed monks from more than a dozen countries, including France, China, the United States and Lebanon.

Also known as Simonoptra the monastery is part of the autonomous monastic peninsula, entirely male, located in the north of Greece. Although only Orthodox men can reach fraternity, male visitors from other confessions are welcome.

Its abbot, the archimandrite Eliseos, declares that the monastery reflects a secular ecumenical spirit rooted in the Byzantine tradition, where the shared faith transcends national borders.