This man never saw women, spent his entire life on Mount Athos, lived for 82 years doing...

Imagine living 82 years without ever seeing a woman. Not your mother, not a friend, not even a stranger passing by. It may sound like the plot of a dystopian story, but this was the real-life experience of Mihailo Tolotos, a Greek monk whose life is one of the most extraordinary tales of isolation known to the world.

Mihailo Tolotos was born in 1856 in Halkidiki, Greece. Tragically, his mother passed away just moments after he was born, leaving him orphaned. He was taken in by Orthodox monks at Mount Athos, one of the most isolated and sacred places in the world. Here, he lived a life of extreme solitude, in accordance with the strict rules of the monastery. There was one essential rule that governed life at Mount Athos: no women allowed. This rule, which has been in place since the 10th century, still stands today.

Mount Athos is not just a religious site; it’s an entire world unto itself. Home to around 2,000 monks, this UNESCO World Heritage Site follows ancient traditions. The ban on women goes so far that even female animals are prohibited from entering the area. This strict isolation is meant to help monks maintain celibacy and focus on spiritual matters. Mihailo Tolotos took this commitment to an extreme, never leaving the monastery and never seeing a woman in his entire life.

But his isolation wasn't just about avoiding women. He also lived without experiencing many modern aspects of life. According to a 1938 article in the Edinburgh Daily Courier, Tolotos never saw a car, an airplane, or even a movie. While the world outside evolved with technology and change, he remained within the untouched traditions of the monastery.

When Tolotos passed away in 1938, the monks of Mount Athos held a special burial for him, believing he might have been the only person in history to live and die without ever seeing a woman. His unique life continues to capture people’s imaginations.

Mount Athos still enforces its ban on women today, despite debates over whether this rule is outdated or discriminatory. However, the mountain remains a sanctuary for those who choose the monastic life, just as Mihailo Tolotos did more than a century ago. His story is a reminder of the quiet corners of the world where people live in seclusion, untouched by the bustle of modern society.