ISTANBUL. – Turkish opposition MPs claimed that the Greeks celebrated a Holy Mass at the Palace of Ataturk, the founder of modern-day Turkey. To note, the Palace belongs to the country’s parliament.

The opposition MPs asked as to who allowed the Greeks to conduct, at Ataturk’s palace, a mass in connection with the Greek Patriarch’s election. In response, the Turkish parliament’s deputy secretary stated that the idea for the mass arose suddenly.   

Opposition National Movement Party (MHP) MP Oktay Vural retorted that the authorities have turned Ataturk’s palace into a priests’ home and are turning mosques into churches.  

Also, Greek Patriarchate’s spokesperson gave relevant explanations, noting that no mass was conducted. “We marked 20th anniversary of the Patriarch’s return and cut a cake at the Palace of Ataturk. On that occasion we chanted a Greek poetry dedicated to the Patriarch’s life [story]. It was not a mass,” the spokesperson said, Vatan daily of Turkey informed.