Orthodox Church Illegally Walled in Turkey

A wall was built closing the two entrances to a Greek Orthodox Church located in Turkey’s Tralleis.

The church, located in Akbük village in Didima (Δίδυμα, Turkish: Didim) district, had the wall built by “unknown people” resulting in the closure of two entrances to the Greek Orthodox church.

It is rumored that the Didima Municipality had installed the wall because they wanted to issue licenses to serve alcohol for nearby restaurants. According to the law, alcohol cannot be sold within 100 meters of a functioning religious institution. 

This church is included in the list of historical territories protected by the state.

The 200-year-old Greek Orthodox Church underwent so-called restorations in 2007. Instead it was revealed that sledgehammers and other tools were used to break off the churches exterior stone and artifacts found in the church were stolen and taken home by the site’s chief.

Workers during the restoration process found jugs, gold and copper chains, a ring and even human bones. They handed these artifacts to the site manager who took them home to try and sell them.

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