“Incomprehensible to an unaccustomed, even a believing person, the asceticism of most Greek and Russian monasteries on the Holy Mountain during Great Lent comes to the point that at some moments it becomes scary to even think about it! Church services, and at ordinary times, according to our secular judgment, are too long and too frequent, during fasting they fill almost the whole day and all night. restriction in food is brought to the most extreme limit. On other days, on the first week, for example, and on Holy Week (in Greek on), a slice of bread is given, I don’t remember, once or twice a day, so that they are able to sing ... "