THESSALONIKI – An Orthodox Christian monk was hospitalized due to a violent incident at a monastic sanctuary in northern Greece, as reported by authorities on Friday. This incident is linked to a religious disagreement that has persisted for decades.

The monk is currently receiving medical care in Thessaloniki for injuries including cuts and bruises to his face and upper body. He was transferred from Mount Athos, which is approximately 175 kilometers (110 miles) away.

Mount Athos is a self-administered monastic region in Greece, famous for its ancient monasteries where monks dedicate their lives to prayer and spirituality. The area is inaccessible to women.

At the center of the ongoing conflict is Esphigmenou Monastery, whose brotherhood continues to defy court and church orders to vacate the premises. They refuse to recognize authority over them by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the spiritual home of the Eastern Orthodox Church based in Istanbul, Turkey.

This religious rift has led to repeated violent clashes, legal battles, and supply blockades between members of the defiant brotherhood and church-appointed replacements. The controversy, which began in the early 1970s, was compounded by court decisions against the rebel monks, who are sustained by donations from outside groups of supporters.

According to monastic authorities, the latest incident occurred late Thursday, when a monk from the officially recognized brotherhood was attacked by rivals wielding gardening tools during routine groundskeeping work at an administrative building.

Father Bartholomew, abbot of the new brotherhood, told The Associated Press that the young monk sustained facial and rib injuries from punches and blows with a wooden object. He added that a description of the alleged attacker was provided to police and that a Thessaloniki public prosecutor had also been formally notified.

“What is the point of having these decisions (to expel the monks) if they are not enforced? They must be implemented,” Bartholomew said.

In an online statement, the breakaway brotherhood denied the accusations.

“It is a well-known tactic for these perpetrators to play the victims,” it said. “They feigned injury in a performance worthy of an acting class.”