Special Greek Orthodox service held at Sumela Monastery
A special Greek Orthodox service was held at Sumela Monastery in the Black Sea province of Trabzon for the third year in a row yesterday. Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew delivered a message of peace and inter-religious understanding in the third service held the Monastery since it was reopened for religious rites. “We want to express our happiness at meeting with you and praying together in this warm atmosphere for the third time on the day of the ascension of the Virgin Mary, which is one of the most important dates in the worship of her," he said. Nearly 300 visitors and Bartholomew prayed after the hymns. "We grew up just listening to our eldest about Sumela, we prayed from far away; however, now the God heard us and we are glad that we can come to Sumela and pray. We would like to thank the Turkish government, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, EU Ministry, municipality of Macka and people of Macka for their contributions to the mass," he said, adding that being at Sumela is a precious experience for believers and clerics. Patriarch Bartholomew also touched on a visit paid by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wife Emine Erdogan to Myanmar, saying, “Does atrocity in Myanmar, which was visited by Mrs. Emine Erdogan, personally not hurt us? Let’s pray for peace of humanity at this hill, which embraces this magnificent historical, religious and cultural wealth of Sumela," Bartholomew said after yesterday’s service at the historic monastery, pointing out that it’s everybody’s natural right to perform religious practices freely.