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GreekReporter.comDiasporaGreek Atheists Lambast State for Paying 'Holy Light' Transport Costs

Greek Atheists Lambast State for Paying 'Holy Light' Transport Costs

agfos4The Atheist Union of Greece lambasted the Greek government for paying the ‘Holy Light’ transport costs from Israel to Greece on Easter weekend amidst the economic crisis.

The Greek atheists have sent letters to the ministries of foreign affairs and finance asking for the cost of transporting the flame from Jerusalem to Athens by air to be made public. They also want to know the cost of the flame’s transport from Athens to other dioceses.

The transport of the flame is a Greek Orthodox Church tradition to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, atheists in Greece believe this cost could be avoided now that the country is stricken by poverty.

“In a time when taxpaying Greeks are experiencing cuts in wages and pensions, a severe taxation, unemployment and compression of real income, we consider unthinkable that the Greek State and therefore the Greek taxpayers give even one euro for the transfer of the supposed ‘Holy Light’,” says the letter written by the union.

The atheists of Greece ask for the separation of church and state and consider the country to be a “theocracy.” They believe that since the two should be separated, the state should also stop funding religious ceremonies and activities. Otherwise, the state must start funding ceremonies of other religions too, the atheists claim.

However, orthodox Christians believe the light is indeed holy. Tradition has it that on the day of the resurrection the Patriarch of Jerusalem enters a chapel believed to be the tomb of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem without any device that would light a fire, such as a ligher or matches. In fact clergy of all denominations check the patriarch to see if he carries any such devices before he goes in

Once the patriarch is in the chapel, he starts praying and from his prayers the candles he carries with him miraculously light up with the holy light of the resurrection. Then that light is transferred to the faithful in the church.

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