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
ELSTAT: Greek Health Expenditures Reach €5.89 Billion in 2022
Finally, healthcare financing as a percentage of GDP decreased to 8.5% in 2022 from 9.18% in 2021, as per the Health Accounts System report.
Sonoco Paper Mill Plants Close After 30 Years in Greece
The shut down of the two paper mills in northern Greece comes a week after a glass plant closed in Athens
BoG: Private Deposits Down by 1.068bln Euros in Feb. 2024
Corporate deposits decreased by 912 million euros, compared to a decrease of 3.167 billion euros in the previous month
Greeks’ Buying Power Second Lowest in the EU
Greeks’ purchasing power is under pressure, ranking 26th among 27 EU member states.
Greek FinMin Says Digital Work Card Tackling Undeclared Work
Greece's recently launched digital work card aimed at tackling undeclared labor has already started to produce results, said Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis
MSC Cruises: More than 400 Visits to Nine Greek Destinations
MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of international shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A, will be sailing to Greek ports as of this month, expanding operations in the region year-round
Eurostat: Greece Among Cheaper Hourly Labor Cost Zones
In contrast, the countries that posted the highest hourly labor costs are Luxembourg (53.9 euros), Norway (51.9 euros), Iceland
GSEVEE: Economic Sentiment Indicator in Greece Down in Q2 2023
The drop follows a significant uptick in the ESI in the second half of 2022 (69.5 units) and a slight decline in the first half of 2023 (66.7 units)
Manpower Report: Sectors in Greece that Have Achieved Full Gender Equality in the Workplace
Greece surpasses this with 45%, showcasing progress but also room for improvement. Sectors like Consumer Goods and Services lead with 69% reporting full equality globally
Bank of America (BofA): Three Reasons Greek Economy Outperforms EC Average
BofA projects growth of 1.1% in 2024 and 1.7% in 2025, compared to forecasts for eurozone growth at 0.4%/1.1%, respectively