Panagia Soumela: The Divine Liturgy in Pontos for the first time behind closed doors for the mediatranslated

A new provocative decision was taken by the Turkish authorities ahead of the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Sumela in Trabzon, Pontus. As first revealed by the Turkish news website 61saat and numerous Turkish media subsequently, this year's August 23 religious ceremony will be held for the first time in history without the presence of members of the press. According to the Turkish publication, the event - which was attended every year by dozens of journalists from Turkey as well as international correspondents - will be held strictly behind closed doors for the Mass Media.

This move prohibits television and photographic coverage of the function inside the monument.

"SÜMELA MANASTIRI'NDA BASINA KAPALI AYİN"

In Trabzon's Maçka district's historic Sümela Monastery, on August 23rd, a decision was signed that aroused wide public interest before the traditional ritual to be held.

Every year ulusal ve uluslararası çok sıldık basın mensubunun… pic.twitter.com/42b9MwkBHH

— Günebakış Trabzon (@gazetegunebakis) August 22, 2026

And that's not all they decided at the last minute. As pontosnews.gr had written and in...