For the first time ever, journalists will not be allowed inside the Panagia Sümela Monastery in Pontus, Turkey, for toda...

For the first time ever, journalists will not be allowed inside the Panagia Sümela Monastery in Pontus, Turkey, for today's annual Divine Liturgy on August 15 of the Orthodox calendar, which falls on August 23 this year. Turkish news site 61saat first broke the story, and dozens of Turkish outlets quickly followed with confirmation. The decision bans all television cameras and photographers from covering the service inside the historic monastery. The Panagia Sümela Liturgy has traditionally drawn dozens of journalists each year, both Turkish press and international correspondents, making it one of the most widely covered Greek Orthodox events held on Turkish soil. This year, Turkish authorities have closed the ceremony entirely to media, with no public explanation given for the sudden change in policy. The monastery, carved into a cliff above the Pontic mountains of the Trabzon region, holds enormous spiritual and historical significance for Greeks worldwide, particularly for Pontian Greeks whose ancestors worshipped there before the catastrophic population exchanges and expulsions of the early 20th century. The annual liturgy, permitted by Turkish authorities since 2010, had become a rare symbol of religious tolerance and a moment of international visibility for the Pontian Greek community. No official reason has been provided by Turkish authorities for the decision to exclude press for the first time in the ceremony's modern history. The move effectively strips the event of any public record or international witness for 2026. #PanagiaSymela #PontianGreeks #Greece