Assyrian, Greek, Armenian Genocide Anniversary Commemorated Publicly in Turkey

(AINA) — Just few years ago only a handful of people in Istanbul rallied publicly on April 24 to remember thegenocide perpetrated during the Ottoman reign against Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. This year’s commemorations took place in five other cities, Ankara, Bodrum, Izmir, Bursa, and Diyarbakir. At Izmir, Assyrian victims were commemorated, too. These protests are highly courageous considering the machinery of denial still at work in official Turkey. An increasing number of Turkish intellectuals refuse to accept the denial policy of their government.

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13Sept.1922 : The Burning of Smyrna and the Destruction of Eastern Christianity

The Great Fire of Smyrna was a fire that destroyed much of the port city of Smyrna in September 1922. Eye-witness reports state that the fire began on 13 September 1922 and lasted for several days. It occurred four days after the Turkish forces under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha («Ataturk») regained control of the city on 9 September 1922. The Burning of Smyrna marked the last chapter in the destruction and Genocide of Anatolian Greeks and of Eastern Christianity in Asia Minor.

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Monk Moses the Athonite: ”Scandal” for me is the non-unity of Holy Mount Athos

Moses monk, the well known intellectual, has given an interview to the 24hour ecclesiastical news agency “Romfea.gr”. We have visited his cell at Saint Panteleimon Skete of the Holy Mount Athos.

Elder Moses, speaking to the Director of “Romfea.gr”, Mr. Emilios Poligenis, gives substantial answers on issues which refer to the Holy Mountain, the professor Christos Giannaras, the Vatopedi case and the Abbot Efrem, the financial crisis and the Patriarch’s liturgy at Panayia of Sourmela monastery. The interview went on as follows: read more…

Ιερα Μονή Κωσταμονίτου (ή Κασταμονίτου) – The Holy Monastery of Kostamonitou (or Kastamonitou)

Ιερα Μονή Κωσταμονίτου. Εξωτερική άποψη. Holy Monastery of Kostamonitou. External view.

Ιδρύθηκε κατά το πρώτο μισό του 11ου αι. από κάποιον καταγόμενο από τήν Κασταμονή της Μικράς Ασίας, στον οποίο οφείλει και το όνομά της. Νεώτερος κτήτορας είναι η σύζυγος του Αλή Πασά κυρά Βασιλική, με χρηματοδότηση της οποίας ανοικοδομήθηκε μεγάλο μέρος της Μονής κατά τα έτη 1819-1820. Το Καθολικό, τιμώμενο στον πρωτομάρτυρα, Στέφανο, κτίσθηκε το 1867 και είναι το τέταρτο στη σειρά πού οικοδομήθηκε στην ίδια θέση. Τα σημαντικώτερα από τα κειμήλια είναι οι τρεις θαυματουργές εικόνες: του αγίου Στεφάνου, της Οδηγήτριας και της Αντιφωνήτριας.