Mayor of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos stated that a Good Friday service will be held at the church Saint George Eksorinos, for the first time since 1957. The historic service was announced after Mayor Galanos met with the Turkish Cypriot Mayor of the city, Oktay Kayalp. According to Galanos, invitations will be sent to ambassadors and officials from both the Greek and Turkish community, including archbishop Chrysostomos and Turkish Cypriot Mufti Dr Talip Atalay.
“This is a great moment for us and a great day for the church. It promotes the climate of understanding between the two communities as well as the talks between the leaders,” said Galanos to CyBC.
Alexis Galanos noted that the Good Friday service would put pressure on the Cypriot and Turkish side to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. He stated that the people of Cyprus want a unification.
Government spokesman, Christos Stylianides congratulated Galanos and Kayalp for their initiative. He stated that the revival of the Good Friday service is an answer to last weeks incident when far-right ELAM members tried to interrupt a speech by former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Limassol.
Saint George Eksorinos church was always known among Famagusta citizens for the Good Friday service. The service stopped in 1957, after fights between the two communities and the church was abandoned. The Good Friday service will be held on April 18, from 5 p.m until 8:30 p.m
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