Revealed: The Man Who Lived 82 Years Died Without Ever Knowing What A Woman Looked Like, Knowing Only That They Were Made Of Books
A man who lived 82 years died without ever knowing what a woman looked like.
According to UniLadMihailo Tolotos, from Halkidiki, Greece, learned the existence of women only from peers and also through descriptions in books.
He is believed to have been born in 1856, but shortly after giving birth to him, his mother died, leaving Tolotos an orphan.
He was adopted by Orthodox monks in a monastery on Mount Athos in Greece, where he was raised by monks.
Tolotos lived according to the strict rules that applied in the area, including that no women were allowed.
Mihailo Tolotos, from Halkidiki, Greece, who lived 82 years, died without ever knowing what a woman looked like
Laws prohibiting women and domestic animals, such as cows or sheep, from entering the mountain have been around since the 10th century and are still in effect today.
The reason behind this rule was to ensure that all monks living in all monasteries of Mount Athos could fulfill their requirement to remain celibate throughout their lives.
However, he could have ventured into the wider world and easily encountered a member of the opposite sex, but for decades Tolotos never left Mount Athos.
Tolotos died in 1938 at the age of 82 after never being curious enough to leave his home.
The monk was even given a special funeral by all the monks who lived on Mount Athos and believed that he was the only man in the world who died without knowing what a woman looked like.
Tolotos’ death was acknowledged in a newspaper article stating that women weren’t the only thing he never looked at.
He had apparently never seen a car, an airplane, or even a movie.
The newspaper clipping from the Edinburgh Daily Courier of 29 October 1938 read: ‘Monk dies in Greece without ever having seen a woman’
Mount Athos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of visitors every year
The newspaper clipping from the Edinburgh Daily Courier of 29 October 1938 read: ‘Monk dies in Greece without ever having seen a woman.
‘Without ever having seen a woman in the 82 years of his life, Mihailo Toloto died in the monastery of Mount Athos, Greece.
“Nor had he seen a car, a movie, or an airplane. His mother died when he was born, Athens reports, and he grew up in the convent, where no woman ever visits.’
Today, Mount Athos is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of visitors each year, many of whom are attracted by its rich history and spiritual traditions.
While women are still barred from entering, the Avaton Rule has been the subject of controversy in recent years, with some claiming it is discriminatory and outdated.
The community includes 20 monasteries and is home to approximately 2,000 Eastern Orthodox monks from all over the world.
17 of the 20 monasteries are Greek and the other 3 are Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian.