Condemnation for Christmas day church closure

(ARCHONS) - The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle strongly condemns the interruption of Christmas Day Divine Liturgy at the church of Agios Synesios at Rizokarpaso, located in the northern Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, by so-called “police officers” of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime.

This deplorable action carried out on one of the most holy days for all Christians is a blatant violation of the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in particular, the religious freedoms of the Greek Orthodox Christians who continue to live in the northern occupied part of Cyprus.

Coupled with the policy of pillage, destruction and desecration of the cultural heritage of Cyprus that the occupation regime has been following since 1974, which has led to the destruction or desecration of more than 500 Greek Orthodox churches and chapels in the occupied areas of Cyprus and the illegal transfer of more than 60,000 ancient artifacts to third countries, the continuous violation of the religious freedoms of the enclaved Greek Cypriots is regrettably an unacceptable reality. This latest action manifests complete and utter disrespect for the religious freedoms of the enclaved Greek Orthodox Christian Cypriots and violated in clear and unambiguous terms, amongst others, the Third Vienna Agreement of August 1975, which continues to be the only agreement providing for the treatment of Greek Cypriots living in the occupied areas of Cyprus, the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Order of Saint Andrew calls upon Turkey to fully respect the religious freedoms of the Greek Orthodox Christians who continue to live in the northern occupied part of Cyprus and urge the United States Government to condemn this unacceptable act and work towards truly safeguarding the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the religious freedoms, of the enclaved Orthodox Christians who reside there.

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(Cyprus Mail) - WIDESPREAD condemnation continued yesterday over the Turkish Cypriot side’s interruption and cancellation of services at a church in occupied Rizokarpasso on Christmas Day.

The government plans to take the issue to the UN and the EU.

The Turkish side stopped the Saturday ervice on the pretext that no application had been made for permission to hold the mass at the Ayios Synesiou church.

“The act of the occupation regime to stop Christmas Day mass in Rizokarpaso is totally unacceptable and reprehensible,” said government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou.

“This action constitutes a violation of basic human rights such as the right to exercise freedom of religion,” he added.

Stefanou said the government had already taken steps to involve the EU and the UN. The Church said it would involve the World Council of Churches and the Pope.

DISY MEP Eleni Theocharous reported Turkey yesterday to the president of the European Commission
Jose Manuel Barroso, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule.

She also communicated by phone with MEP members of the Joint Turkey-EU Parliamentary Committee EU.

The Church also denied that they had not asked for permission. It said permission is always asked at the beginning of December, and has been for the last 36 years. But it said it was not the first time that the Turkish side had stopped the service going ahead.

DISY Deputy Lefteris Christoforou said that the move had shown “the harsh and barbaric face of the occupation” Other political parties also issued their condemnation.

President Demetris Christofias said yesterday he was waiting for explanations from Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, who is has been ill.

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(GOARCH) - NEW YORK – Archbishop Demetrios of America sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dated December 30, 2010 bringing to the Secretary’s attention the “disturbing and painful” event which happened on Christmas Day in the small church of Saint Synesios in the town of Rizokarpaso in the northern Turkish occupied territory of Cyprus.

In his letter, he shortly describes the forceful interruption of the Christmas Divine Liturgy by “police officers” of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime and decries these actions as a blatant violation of religious freedom and human rights of the Orthodox faithful. He states that these actions are in direct opposition to long established agreements of the Third Vienna Agreement of August 1975, of the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He further states: “As always, Madame Secretary, we gratefully count on your effective action, so that international laws on religious freedom and human rights are not violated, and similar incidents do not occur again in Cyprus or in any other part of the world.”

Archbishop Demetrios also has issued the following statement on the New Year's Day bombing of a Coptic Christian Church in Alexandria, Egypt:

“This barbaric act of religious hatred violates every civilized and human sentiment, as well as any and all spiritual values. All people of faith are obliged to absolutely reject this atrocity and this offense against God and humanity. We extend our deepest sympathies, thought and prayers to our Coptic brothers and sisters in Egypt and around the world. Their noble legacy and traditions will not only survive this act of terror, but they shall also endure and flourish, while these despicable acts of terror will be consigned to the dustbin of history.”