[Audi_z]

Mark how do you feel about this?

"ISTANBUL, Turkey - Police on Wednesday detained about 40 members of a Turkish nationalist party who earlier had occupied one of Istanbul's most famous buildings, the Haghia Sophia, to protest the visit next week of Pope Benedict XVI.
The protesters belong to the Great Unity Party, a far right-wing group that has previously staged demonstrations against the planned Nov. 28-Dec. 1 visit.

They entered the 6th century former Byzantine church and mosque, shouting "Allahu akbar!" — "God is great!" — and then knelt to perform Islamic prayers.

They also shouted a warning to Benedict: "Pope, don't make a mistake, don't wear out our patience."

A group leader read a statement saying Benedict had offended Muslims with his comments linking violence and Islam, but the reading was interrupted by police."

[wonceinee]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
Mark how do you feel about this?

"ISTANBUL, Turkey - Police on Wednesday detained about 40 members of a Turkish nationalist party who earlier had occupied one of Istanbul's most famous buildings, the Haghia Sophia, to protest the visit next week of Pope Benedict XVI.
The protesters belong to the Great Unity Party, a far right-wing group that has previously staged demonstrations against the planned Nov. 28-Dec. 1 visit.

They entered the 6th century former Byzantine church and mosque, shouting "Allahu akbar!" — "God is great!" — and then knelt to perform Islamic prayers.

They also shouted a warning to Benedict: "Pope, don't make a mistake, don't wear out our patience."

A group leader read a statement saying Benedict had offended Muslims with his comments linking violence and Islam, but the reading was interrupted by police." This is a city of 12 million people. Some 40-odd people threw themselves in a fit of tasteless protest. So what?

[Info-phone]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
Mark how do you feel about this? much much worse have been done against christianity in turkey...

[Quality4Qty]

Pope Benedict has refused Minister Of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gül's dinner invitation after NATO meeting, stating that eating is a "mundane pleasure."

I'm not picking sides in this one. But I don't feel snubbed by the Turks.

[Symnunidanimb]

Originally posted by Straybow
So the PM isn't the PM of the Orthodox Christians living in Turkey? Erdogan didn't have to meet on the first day of the Pope's visit, but to not schedule any meeting is indeed a snub. Sure, but his visit coincides with the NATO summit, which was fixed way before the time when anybody knew anything about the Pope's plans. The Vatican was informed of the unsuitable schedule and was asked to move the date, or pick another date of his choice. Instead, he wanted other people to change their schedules according to his own religious priorities (the St. Andrews mass). He insisted to come deliberately at a time when the PM won't be in town. So why the outrage?