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I. The Athos peninsula extending beyond Megali Vigla and constituting the region of Mount Athos shall, in accordance with its ancient privileged status, be a self-governed part of the Greek State, whose sover eignty thereon shall remain intact. Spiritually, Mount Athos shall come under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. All persons leading a monastic life thereon acquire Greek citizenship without further formalities, upon admission as novices or monks.
II. Mount Athos shall be governed, in accordance with its status, by its twenty Holy Monasteries among which the entire Athos peninsula is divided; the territory of the peninsula shall be exempt from compulsive acquisition and other forms of property expropriation. T he administration of Mount Athos shall be exercised by representatives of the Holy Monasteries constituting the Hiera Koinotis [Holy Commu nity]. No change whatsoever shall be permitted in the administrative system or in the number of Monasteries of Mount Athos, or in their hierarchical order, or in their position with regard to their subordinate de pendencies. Heterodox or schismatic persons shall be prohibited from dwelling thereon.
III. The determination in detail of the athonite statutes entities and the man ner of operation thereof is effected by the Constitutional Charter of Mount Athos (CCMA) which, with the cooperation of the State representative, shall be drawn up and voted by the twenty Holy Monasteries and approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Parliament of the Hellenes.
IV. . Faithful observance of the statutes of Mount Athos shall be in the spiritual realm under the supreme supervision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and, in the administrative, under the supervision of the State, which shall also be exclusively responsible for safeguarding public order and security.
V. The aforementioned powers of State shall be exercised through a gov ernor whose rights and duties shall be determined by law. T he law shall likewise determine the judicial power exercised by the monasterial authorities and the Hiera Koinotis, as well as the custom and taxation privileges of Mount Athos.
