THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — The abbot of a Mount Athos monastery said Sunday its more than 120 Greek monks face food and medicine shortages because of the stance of the Orthodox Church, which considers them apostates and wants to evict them from their 1,000-year-old abode.

Abbot Methodios of the Esphigmenou monastery told reporters and a throng of faithful supporters in this northern Greek city about the monks’ lack of access to doctors.