A racist incident against children with multiple disabilities took place in North Greece, when a priest refused to give them the communion. The man claimed that these children “do not understand” and therefore “may spit the communion out.”
The incident took place at a summer military camp in Leptokarya, West Macedonia.
It was six children from a neighboring camp visiting the military one in the context of a program for the children’s integration and socialization. The children were supposed to attend the Sunday service at the open-air church.
When the time came for the children to receive the holy communion the priest refused to do so claiming that the children with disabilities “may spit it out.”
The shocked attendants, eight in total, turned to the camp management run by the Greek Army complaining about the incident in which the military priest was involved.
High-ranking army officers apologized for the priest’s unacceptable behavior. But still the children did not receive the communion.
The high-ranking officers intervened and even threatened the priest with reference to the Defense Ministry.
On his part, the priest told them to turn to the local Bishop and insisted into not giving the communion to the six children with disabilities.
The president of the children summer camp, Sylvana Karasavvidou told media “it is the first time I experience such a thing, the shock is great and only the apology by the senior military officers made us feel that our effort was not wasted. At first, our frustration was very big as the incident was rescinding our efforts for these children.”
PS that the priests and the Greek Orthodox Church walk through the Greek streets blindfolded is not a secret. The priest may exposes racist behavior against children with disabilities, however, he has certainly no spiritual concerns to cash his salary as a public servant, a salary paid by the parents of exactly these kids.
