From Kathimerini
Priests from seven villages in Arta, northwestern Greece, have written an open letter to local newspapers decrying the treatment of migrants by farmers and businessmen in the area, it was revealed yesterday.
The priests took action following a fire on Christmas Eve at an abandoned chicken shed in the village of Kostakioi. Some 120 Romanian migrants were using the shed for accommodation.
Though nobody was injured in the fire, the incident highlighted the poor living conditions of migrant workers in the area. It is estimated that some 3,000 foreigners, mainly from Romania, Afghanistan and Iraq, are working on farms in Arta.
The priests blasted the local community for not doing enough to care for the migrants.
“Dozens of people from distant countries find themselves at our doors, naked and in need,” the priests wrote in their letter.
“A total lack of charity and shame has allowed medieval working conditions to return. We are not interested in these people’s needs, illnesses and suffering.”
Technorati: greece, arta, migrant, romania, iraq, afganistan,
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that’s a rare pleasant surprise coming from the church. mind you these people are simple papades and not the high-ranking byzantine officials who are currently trying to find a replacement for christodoulos (despite the poor man being still alive…)
[...] of migrant workers. Priests from several villages in Arta (northwestern Greece) got together and wrote about their disgust, saying that there was A total lack of charity and shame has allowed medieval working conditions [...]
I’d just like to say that there are a lot of priests out there who put the “love thy neighbour as thyself” commandment into practice. We just don’t hear about them in the news.