Leader of main opposition party left-wing SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras announced on Wednesday that the will submit an amendment demanding a negative RAPID TEST also to faithful to gain access to the churches. Wordhip places, supermarkets and pharmacies are from Saturday on the only places unvaccinated citizens can access without showing …
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Anti-vaxxers verbally attack, boo priests in Greece’s churches (videos)
Anti-vaxxers in Greece have found a new way to make their attitude heard: they have started to verbally attack priests when the latter speak to congregation in favor of vaccinations against Covid-19. In just two days, two incidents occurred in Zakynthos and Thessaloniki where anti-vaxxers protested the priest shouting Shame! …
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UNESCO slams Turkey over turning Hagia Sophia and Chora into mosques
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued a statement about over Turkey’s decision to turn the world monuments of Hagia Sophia and Chora Monastery into mosques. The committee, meeting for the 44the session online from China, also expressed regret that Turkey’s government ignored repeated calls by UNESCO to observe the guidelines …
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Shopping conditions as Greece reopens retail, maintains some lockdown restrictions
Greece announced on Friday to open retail stores and malls, services and churches on Monday January 18, 2021. At the same time it maintains lockdown restrictions such as night curfew, travel ban between regions, the mandatory use of masks and movement with per SMS. Citizens are free to do their …
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Greece extends lockdown for one more week until Jan 18
Head of Civil Protection and deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias announced on Friday the extension of the existing lockdown for one more week. The lockdown restrictions that were supposed to end on January 11 will be in force until 6:00 a.m. Monday, January 18, 2021, he said. In contrast to initial …
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Gov’t tells Church: “Law cannot be applied as needed, sidestepped by those who disagree”
“The law cannot be applied as needed so that anyone who disagrees can sidestep it,” the government said in a response statement to the Church of Greece late on Monday. “Beyond a mere obligation, the implementation of preventive measures is also an act of social solidarity and responsibility, by all …
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Christmas: Up to 25/50 believers in churches, up to 9 people in family gatherings
The conservative Greek government could not resist to the pressure of the Greek Orthodox Church and made concessions allowing one more service over the Christmas holidays and the increase of number of the participating faithful. The concessions to the Church leadership and a part of the voters’ body came after …
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Greece ‘s limited re-opening measures over Christmas holidays
Most retail shops will remain closed over the Christmas season but hairdressers and bookshops will open under strict safety rules, Greek authorities announced on Friday morning. Churches will open for the faithful only twice on December 25th and January 6th. Night curfew will be shorter during the festive season and …
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Greece to announce operation of retail stores, hairsalons, churches on Friday
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas and Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis will announce the lifting of some restrictions on the retail sector that will apply during the holiday season on Friday morning. The health ministry’s committee of coronavirus experts is considering the operation of retail shops, hairdressers, and also of churches over …
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Gov’t to announce measures for Christmas holidays, retail stores and churches
Greece’s government spokesman said on Tuesday that the final decisions on lockdown restrictions and their partial lifting over the holidays of Christmas and the New Year will be announced on upcoming Friday. Speaking to ANT1 TV Stelios Petsas said refered among other to the opening of retail stores, churches and …
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“Holy Communion shields us against Covid-19,” says Xanthi Bishop, opens churches defying lockdown
The Bishop of Xanthi Panteleimon decided to revolt against the lockdown measures and opened the churches on Monday thus allowing the faithful to receive the Holy Communion. Panteleimon’s decision has caused concern in the local community as the region in north-eastern Greece is one of the most hit by the …
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Elderly in nursing home infected; Greeks ignore coronavirus restrictions
Twelve elderly residents of a nursing home in Glyfada suburb of south Athens have been detected positive to Covid-19 within a week. At the same time, parts of the Greek society keep ignoring restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus and are crowding at parties and in churches even …
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Greeks react to Hagia Sophia with prayers and church bells tolls in mourning
With prayers, flags in half-mast and church bells tolls in mourning, Greeks react to the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. As the Muslim prayer slowly starts in Istanbul Friday noon, clerics and common people gather in churches across Greece to pray on this day of mourning that …
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Following truck concern, Greece’s bishops demand opening of churches
It was clear that the concert on a truck through the streets of Athens over the weekend sent the wrong messages amid the lockdown restrictions in Greece. The clergy wants that the churches open mmediately and some even warn to open them without waiting for the government approval. At least …
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Greek enjoy Holy Week services per loudspeaker, some call on “church raids”
Holy Week and closed churches is the biggest challenge for Greece’sGreeks in this coronavirus year. While the religious services are being held behind closed doors, the faithful have to stay at home and find pleasure in listening to the beautiful hymns of Holy Week through the television, radio or internet. …
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Holy Week 2020: Seek and Hide between the Church, the Gov’t and the Coronavirus
A circular of the Holy Synod of the Greek Church set the country for one more time on fire amid the coronavirus pandemic. Churches will be open to the faithful so that they can individually pray during the Holy Week, Greece’s top clergy has instructed the bishops and the priests …
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Greek Easter 2020: Religious Services behind closed doors only
Religious services for the public of all faiths in Greece are banned between April 12 and 20, a joint decision by the Ministries of Education & Religion and of Health said on Monday. The ban is an extension of the previous one imposed on March 16, and ahead of the …
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Holy Synod suspends daily services, weddings, baptism, keeps churches open
Following a lot of “gentle” pressure by the government, the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church took a historic decision to impose several restrictions in the operation of the churches across the country and to call on vulnerable groups of the society and elderly to stay home. “Everybody should …
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US media remove crosses from churches on Santorini
One of the biggest service provider on the internet, US-based Yahoo has re-posted an article with pictures showing that the crosses of Greek Orthodox churches on iconic Santorini have been removed. In an article promoting vacations in Greece, crosses from churches were simply airbrushed or made almost invisible at first …
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LIDL scraps all Santorini churches, moves to “Mykonos” after the outcry
After the outcry last year, international cheap chain LIDL did not dare to repeat its bold experiment and deliberately remove Crosses from Greek Orthodox Churches. This year, the LIDL removed the churches all together and move away from iconic Santorini scenery to some lower quality pictures of what it seems …
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