EXCLUSIVE – EMILIOS POLIGENES

Letter to the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Mrs. Niki Kerameos, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Mr. Nicholas.

According to Mr. Nicholas, the occasion of the letter was the signing of the new joint ministerial decision (KYA) by the Minister of Education.

His Holiness makes it clear in his letter that he represents no one but himself, stressing at the same time that the thoughts that follow express the common sense and feelings of many of our fellow citizens.

First, the Metropolitan of Mesogaia expresses his thanks to the Minister of Education and to the Government, for what they do and concern the protection and well-being of the Greek people.

Then Mr. Nikolaos explains that his intervention, it is because in this way he wants to personally contribute to the better regulation of matters concerning the Church.

"I believe that this decision of the government, which, however, bears your signature, violates what is proclaimed about the distinct roles between Church and State" – Metropolitan Nikolaos emphasizes, among other things, in his letter.

In another place Metropolitan of Mesogaia, underlines that "the prohibition of divine worship has never been done, even from regimes officially identified with atheism, except for Ember Hoxha in Albania."

"The Soviet regime fought religiosity, expelled the Church, tore down temples, exterminated clergy, but he did not forbid worship behind closed doors. Our government did it!» characteristically adds the metropolitan of Mesogaia.

Even Metropolitan Nikolaos mentions that “in no other country than Greece has the performance of Divine Worship been prohibited, nor in Cyprus, nor in the Slavic countries, nor in Korea, where the matter was settled by the competent Churches.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LETTER OF THE METROPOLITAN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN