An uproar has erupted in recent days with the publication of a poster with a pregnant woman on a cross, ahead of the screening of the documentary “Stray Bodies”, written and directed by Elina Psykou, next week at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.

He published the poster the creator of the documentary on her personal Facebook account, with many netizens expressing their anger and outrage at the sight, calling the image of the crucified woman blasphemous and vulgar.

The Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Mr. Philotheos, requests that the poster not be posted

With his letter to General Director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Elise Zalando, the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Mr. Philotheos requests that the poster advertising the documentary not be posted “STRAIGHT BODIES”because “it is profoundly provocative for the religious feeling of the city’s Christians”.

As he states in the letter, “the issue raised with it (the documentary) is not its content, but the promotional poster of the documentary! Apart from the fact that the former seems incongruous with the content of the latter – the exploration of bodily autonomy in the Europe of the many freedoms – as roughly stated in the Program, even if one tries to make a liberating or morbid connection, it is profoundly challenging to religious sentiment. of the Christians of our city, regardless of denomination and confession: a cross with a half-naked woman, possibly the Virgin Mary, surrounded by the stars of the European Flag (a reference to the image of the Immaculate Conception Virgin Mary or the Virgin Mary of Lourdes, two universally respected Christian symbols?)’.

Metropolitan Mr. Philotheos underlines that “unfortunately, it tends to become a habit, in recent years, for various “artists” to use the holy Persons of the Faith, not to pay the proper respect and express the due reverence towards them, but to “advertise” events and works of art. These ads, under the guise of a dubious artistic approach, touch – and sometimes even exceed – the limits of malicious provocation and malicious intent.”

At the end of the letter, the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki points out that “in our orthodox Christian tradition, freedom is not an idea, but a face, which is none other than the face of Christ. That is why freedom as a conscious life choice necessarily presupposes respect and responsibility, both for ourselves and for others. In this very context, we also ask you not to consent to offending the free disposition of our love for Christ, His Church and the holy Persons of our Faith, by posting the poster for the advertisement of the documentary “STRAY BODIES “”.

In detail, the letter of the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Philotheos:

“To
Honorable Mrs. Eliz Zalandhos
General manager
of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
In here
Dear Madam Director General,

I am sending you my present letter, asking first of all your understanding of the trouble to which I may be subjecting you. However, I considered it my duty to entrust you with my following thoughts and to ask for your cooperation on an issue, which, I confess, has troubled me quite a bit.

First of all, I must express my warmest wishes for the success of this year’s 26th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. Such artistic activities and initiatives to strengthen the film community, which are an opportunity to express and meet creators and artists, especially young ones, fill us with joy and hope. However, as you also know, “the enemy of the good is the best”. Wishing, therefore, with a friendly and sincere disposition to contribute to your endeavour, allow me to point out to you an issue, which does not pertain to this Festival as such, but could create wrong impressions
for the same.

The Festival Program also includes the screening of the documentary entitled “STRAY BODIES” by Mrs. Elina Psykou. The issue that is created with this does not lie in its content, but in the advertising poster for the screening of the documentary! Apart from the fact that the first one seems inconsistent with the content of the second – τὴν
exploration of bodily autonomy in the Europe of many freedoms – as roughly stated in the Program, even if someone tries to make a liberating or morbid connection, it is deeply challenging for the religious feeling of the Christians of our city, regardless of doctrine and confession: a cross with a half-naked woman, possibly the Virgin, surrounded by the stars of the European Flag (referring to the icon of the Immaculate Conception or the Virgin of Lourdes, two
universally respected Christian symbols?).

It tends, unfortunately, to become a habit, in recent years, for various “artists” to use the holy Persons of the Faith, not to pay the appropriate respect and express the due reverence towards Them, but to “advertise” events and works of art. These advertisements, under the guise of a dubious artistic graphic approach, touch – and sometimes exceed – the limits of malicious provocation and malicious intent.

The Church, of course, does not operate in a reactionary, fearful or vindictive manner. After all, no one and nothing has the power to tarnish or essentially tarnish the holy Persons of the Faith. But we, the members of the Church, who in the person of Christ see him as Father, Brother, Friend, He who embraces the suffering man, forgives whoever wants to return to Him and as a “manic lover” attracts every repentant soul, we owe it to in the name of this love, but also of the truth about Him and all the holy Persons of the Faith, such as our Virgin Mother, to give our testimony and protest, even if some “Christianophobic” circles deny this right and blind themselves, attributing to Church and in the expression of its positions, intentions non-existent, they talk about “darkening and division, hate sermons, witch hunts, rejection, punishment, Middle Ages, incitement to acts of violence”.

In spite of all of them, the Church and those of us who freely belong to it will pray continuously, not arrogantly and disparagingly, not distinguishing between “sinners” and “repentants”, not for “fire to fall”, but for the repentance of all of us, the mental our ascension and resurrection, the restoration of man to the original beauty of the Godhead.

In our orthodox Christian tradition, freedom is not an idea, but a face, which is none other than the face of Christ. That is why freedom as a conscious life choice necessarily presupposes respect and responsibility, both for ourselves and for others. In this precise context, we also ask you not to consent to the insulting of our free disposition of love for Christ, His Church and the holy Persons of our Faith, by posting the poster for the advertisement of the documentary “STRAY BODIES ».

Dear Madam Director General,

I am sure that you perceive and understand my concern and distress as a Christian pastor and spiritual father of the Orthodox Christians of Thessaloniki. I beseech you warmly, according to your own judgment and conscience, to do what is appropriate. Wishing the 26th Festival to be crowned with success and to you personally to have the blessing of God in your life and your good works,

After love and honor in the Lord

THE METROPOLITAN
† Philotheos of Thessaloniki

SHARING:

1. Mrs. Eleftheria Thanoulis
Chairman of the Board of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
2. Mr. Orestis Andreadakis
Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
3. Mrs. Lina Mendoni
Minister of Culture
4. Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas
Regional Governor of Central Macedonia
5. Mr. Stelios Angeloudis
Mayor of Thessaloniki”