General info
The Protaton church is the symbolic center of the monastic state of Holy Mount Athos, which has existed for more than 1000 years in the center of Karyes. Since the ninth century, Karyes has been an organized settlement and owes its origin to the spread of the principal form of government of Mount Athos, that is, the Protos and the Parliament of the Holy Mountain.
The term "Protaton", which was originally used to designate the center of the government of Athos (later known as the Great Middle, the Great Parliament of Karyes or the Holy Kinot), was soon used to designate the church itself. This fact reflects the well-developed relationship of governance and worship in the monastic state, where the whole essence of existence was reduced to an ascetic way of life.
