(Milliyet Newspaper, 6 January 2017)
If one was needed, a heavenly reason to go swimming in
January.
On Bozcaada Island in the north Aegean Sea yesterday a mass was
held to commemorate the birth and baptism of Jesus at 10:45 in the
morning. Turkish citizens of Greek descent participated in the
ceremony, along with local Turks.
Bozcaada Mayor Hakan Can Yılmaz and Police Chief Abdullah
Öztürk were in attendance, as well, at the mass celebrated by the
Gökçeada Metropolitan Kirilos Dagunis and two other priests. For
the traditional retrieving of a cross thrown into the water, three
Greek youths who had come from Midilli (Lesbos) Island jumped
into the sea.
The cross was grabbed by Greek citizen Lefteris Crisomallos, who
then turned it over to the Metropolitan. In his remarks Dragunis
said that "we are grateful to the people on the island for allowing
us to fulfill our tradition. We wish for a peaceful 2017, with good
will between our two countries. I hope that Turkey's difficult time
will end."
add to the pile latest on Turk-Greek relations from the NYT
The Metropolitan and the two priests then headed for Izmir to
celebrate a mass there.
Gökçeada and Bozcaada islands are off the coast of Çanakkale
province, on the left. Greek Midilli (Lesbos) Island is in the
corner of the map at left.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder