Athens, March 12, 2025
Photo: prth.gr
A Greek Member of Parliament was detained on Monday morning after he destroyed a blasphemous art display at the National Gallery in Athens.
MP Nikos Papadoulos of the Niki party will face misdemeanor charges for his bold act, reports euronews.
Days earlier, he had written a letter of protest to the Gallery and another to the Minister of Culture, calling for the removal of the Allure of the Bizarre exhibition.
“The ‘works’ presented in your periodic exhibition, especially the ‘Icon of the Virgin Mary with Christ in her arms’ and the vulgar distortion of St. George, do not constitute art,” Papadoulos wrote.
“They represent a direct attack on our faith, our cultural identity, the roots of our nation. These distortions are not merely provocative; they are blasphemous and abusive, offending public sentiment and violating the fundamental respect that Greek society has for the Orthodox Faith.”
Photo: euronews.com
The exhibition, which is set to run through September, has drawn criticism from others as well, including the Holy Metropolis of Peristeri, which posted a petition for its removal, and His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu, who condemned the display in his Sunday of Orthodoxy homily.
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni responded to MP Papadoulos that the Ministry “never engages in acts of censorship.”
Thus, the MP went to the Gallery on Monday to take matters into his own hands, removing several pieces from the wall and throwing them to the floor.
“We’re Orthodox Christians and we don’t accept such works that offend the face of our mother, our Panagia,” said Papadoulos’ wife.
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