Monasteries to take in refugees amid some local resistance

The Bishopric of Ilia, in the western Peloponnese, yesterday announced an initiative to host several single-parent families of asylum seekers as well as unaccompanied minors at two monasteries in the region.

However, the attempted relocation did not go smoothly. A bus attempted to transfer about 60 refugees - mostly women and children - to the Monastery of Poretso, which lies at the foot of Mount Erymanthos.

But the migrants were met by residents protesting their transfer there and only three ended up staying. The remainder were taken to the nearby Kato Divris Monastery.