A Greek Orthodox monastery, located in the Peloponnese, is set to become accomodation for Syrian refugees.
Located at the foot of Mount Erymanthos between Achaea and Elis, the Poretso Monastery dates back to the Byzantine Empire and has been abandoned for some time now.
In 1943, during the Second World War, it was vandalised by the Nazis.
The Metropolis of Ilia decided to renovate the space using funds obtained through Greece’s national tourism board, with the initial plan being to turn it into a hostel, before making the decision to utilise it as refugee accomodation.
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According to reports, the process commenced this week, with two busloads of refugees transported to the monastery on Thursday, but were met with resistance from local residents.
According to Kathimerini, only three of the refugees ended up staying at the monastery, with the rest transported to the Kato Divris Monastery, located nearby.
It is anticipated that between 50 and 60 refugees will eventually be housed at the monastery, including single-parent families, mainly women, and unaccompanied minors.