News Am reported that Turkish opposition MPs protested against Greeks celebrating a Holy Mass at the Palace of Ataturk on the occasion of the 20th anniversary from the election of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the ecclesiastic throne.
The Palace of Ataturk belongs to the country’s parliament and the MPs asked for explanations on who allowed the Greeks to conduct in it and “turn the palace into a priest’ home”.
According to News AM, opposition National Movement Party (MHP) MP Oktay Vural has also said that the authorities in Turkey are turning mosques into churches.
The Turkish parliament’s Deputy Secretary answered that the idea for the mass arose suddenly, while The Greek Patriarchate’s spokesperson underlined that no mass was conducted.
“We marked 20th anniversary of the Patriarch’s return and cut a cake at the Palace of Ataturk. On that occasion we chanted a Greek poetry dedicated to the Patriarch’s life [story]. It was not a mass,” the spokesperson told Turksih Vatan daily.
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