Monks on Mount Athos Refuse to Pay Taxes; Say They Are Exempt from Paying Under Greek Const.

Monks from the 1,000-year-old autonomous monastic community of Mount Athos this week defied the cash-strapped Greek government -- which is desperately seeking additional ways to collect money -- by refusing to pay property taxes, according to the News24 website.

Mount Athos -- also called the Holy Mount -- is divided into 20 self-governed territories on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece.

It serves as the spiritual center of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and women are not allowed on the Athos peninsula.

Under the constitution of Greece, Mount Athos is exempt from paying taxes to the Greek government.