An Orthodox monk has been hospitalised with facial and rib injuries following a violent altercation at Mount Athos, the historic monastic peninsula in northern Greece.

The clash is part of a long-running dispute over control of Esphigmenou Monastery, which has defied church orders since the 1970s, as reported by Mail Online.

The injured monk, part of the church-recognised brotherhood, was reportedly attacked with gardening tools during maintenance work near an administrative building.

He is now being treated in Thessaloniki, 110 miles from the site.

Mount Athos is home to a unique monastic community, governed by ancient traditions and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

However, the Esphigmenou brotherhood refuses to acknowledge the Patriarch’s authority, leading to decades of legal battles, violent incidents and blockades.

Father Bartholomew, abbot of the official community, expressed frustration: “What is the point of having these decisions [to expel the monks] if they are not enforced? They must be implemented.”

The rival group, however, denies any involvement, stating: “It is a well-known tactic for these perpetrators to play the victims... a performance worthy of an acting class.”