AP PHOTOS: Orthodox monks carry on a tradition of monastic life at a cliffside Greek monastery

MOUNT ATHOS Greece AP The Monastery of Simonos Petra clings almost impossibly to a sheer cliff above the Aegean Sea in northern Greece Also known as Simonopetra or Simon s Rock the Christian Orthodox monastery transcends country-based branches of the faith by embracing monks from across the world including converts from non-Orthodox nations The monastery is one of in the autonomous all-male monastic group of Mount Athos known in Greek as Agion Oros or Holy Mountain The peninsula is no stranger to foreigners Of the monasteries one is Russian one is Bulgarian and one is Serbian and the presence of monks from other nations is not uncommon But it is in Simonos Petra where the greatest range of nationalities lies This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors Source