AROUND 500 people crossed to the north through the new Zodhia crossing yesterday morning to attend the second church service at Ayios Mamas in Morphou, marking the saint’s day.
It was only the second such pilgrimage since 1974.
The services, which began on Thursday night were overshadowed by an arson attack on two Greek Cypriot cars in the parking lot near the church during Wednesday night’s service. The attack was roundly condemned yesterday by the government and the political parties.
Morphou Mayor Charalambos Pittas said the attack had cast a shadow over efforts to bring Greek and Turkish Cypriots together and expressed his regret that the incident had taken place.
Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the incident had once again exposed the real face of the Turkish Cypriot administration. He said the cars were being taken to the Ayios Dhometios police station to determine the exact cause of the fire. There was speculation yesterday that the Turkish Cypriot authorities were attempting to play down the incident by saying the blaze started from one of the two cars and that the other one had caught fire. Both cars were destroyed in what Greek Cypriot media were calling an attack by Grey Wolf extremists.
The two Greek Cypriots who owned the cars, parked next to each other some 600 metres from the church, only realised what was happening when they left the service at around 9.45pm and found Turkish Cypriot firemen fighting to put out the blaze.
Reports said that Turkish Cypriot fire experts determined that the fire was caused by a short circuit in one of the cars. The scene was also visited by Turkish Cypriot ‘Interior Minister’ Ozcan Murat who expressed his regret over the incident and promised compensation to the two Greek Cypriots and promised an investigation.
Bishop Neophytou of Morphou, who conducted the services also expressed his sorrow over the incident.
He also said now that Zodhia crossing point was opened since Wednesday, his aim was to push for more frequent services, not just once a year on the saint’s anniversary.
Addressing the congregation, the Bishop also called for initiatives to solve the Cyprus issue saying that “time was working against us”.
He said a lot of people on both sides have a vision for a united Cyprus, where both communities live in peace.
The Morphou event also caused tension between Neophytou and Paphos Bishop Chrysosotomos who said he would never show his passport to go to the north.
Neophytou hit back, saying Morphou was his district.
“The Bishop of Paphos should pay attention to his hotels and his golf and leave the Bishop of Morphou to decide what is best for his district,” he said.
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