Pope Francis, the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church, on Monday received Greece’s culture minister, Lina Mendoni, at the Vatican, days after three fragments of the iconic Parthenon atop the Acropolis were returned by the Holy See’s museums.
The repatriation of the fragments is an eminently symbolic gesture, given Athens’ long-standing demand to return the Parthenon Marble friezes back to Grecian soil and as close to the Athens Acropolis as possible. The fragments were officially donated to the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos and then handed over to the Greek state in a ceremony at the Acropolis Museum attended by the Greek prime minister, Mendoni and a top Vatican representative. The state-of-the-art museum beneath the southern slope of the Acropolis, and was purposely designed to house the Marbles once and if they are returned from the British Museum.
The Greek minister conveyed a letter of gratitude to Pope Francis from Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and presented the pontiff with an exact replica of a 1st century BC marble statue.
On his part, Pope Francis cited his deep respect for Greece as the cradle of the western civilization.
Latest News
JP Morgan Remains ‘Bullish’ on Greek Banks
JP Morgan reiterated its analysis of DTCs, prompted by Piraeus Bank’s plan to accelerate their amortization
Source of Wealth Declarations for Greek Public Officials Made Easier
Source of wealth declarations are designed to improve transparency and prevent corruption among Greece's public officials. Yet 98% of Greeks still believe corruption is widespread in the country, according to Eurobarometer.
Greece’s Labor Market Slack Among Highest in EU
Greece ranks 4th in EU for labor market slack, mostly due to high unemployment levels, and has widest gender gap in the EU.
Livestock Crisis Threatens Greek Feta
Feta in particular, is Greece’s primary dairy export, with 65% of production going abroad.
Moldova’s Sandu Wins Second Term amid Meddling Claims
According to the Central Election Commission, with 98% of votes counted, Maia Sandu led with 54.35% to Alexandr Stoianoglo’s 45.65%
Attica Wins ‘Best Greek Hospitality Region’ at 2024 Awards
The Greek Hospitality Awards, now in their tenth year, are one of the premier tourism industry events at the European level
Greece Takes Command of EU’s Operation ASPIDES in Red Sea
The defense minister also visited the Greek frigate Spetsai, which is participating in Operation ASPIDES, while in the port of Djibouti
Brain Gain: Returning Greeks Drive Innovation and Growth in IT and Key Sectors
The profile of the returnees to Greece reveals that 67.6% have families, and 52% have children
New Regulations Target Airbnb Rentals in Greece with Safety and Quality Standard
Additionally, a new ranking system for tourist accommodations based on sustainability criteria is expected to be introduced
Piraeus Port Authority: Net Profits Exceed 70mln€ in Jan-Sep 2024
All indices rise in third quarter of 2024 compared to corresponding period of 2023