Foreign Christian residents in Muğla who normally get together for worship in homes or hotels, have big problems for funerals. For this problem which is ongoing since 20 years, they are asking help from the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the state authorities.
Natalya Erdem, a Russian citizen who has lived in Marmaris for 16 years and is married to a Turk said “Muğla and its provinces have 35 thousand foreign residents. The biggest problem we have is the burial process of these people. The priest who serve in the burials comes from İzmir and Antalya which are the closest places having a church. We have no church in our city. Not only burial process but also the religious ceremonies have become impossible to fulfill. If a church building was located in Marmaris or a nearby town, the regular worships would have been performed easily.”
The President of the South Aegean Tourist Association of Hoteliers and Businessmen Mr. Bülent Bülbüloğlu said “The tourists are asking for a church building. We answer them saying unfortunately we don’t have it. We have to present a place of worship to our guests.”
