This is in Greece? There a lot of turkic shia in Greece? Looks like shia bloodletting, Ashura. Where are they supposed to be from?
The context is slightly different tbf. Your country isn't secular, it never even pretended to be. The orthodox church has been imbedded into government power ever since the rebellion and independence from the Ottomans, it was an integral part of it even. I'm guessing it's not against the law for orthodox rituals and religious parades and other religious public events?
This happens in Pireaus town in Greece, every year for the last 5 years. They are Shiites celebrating the Ashura, as you mentioned already, and the majority of them are Pakistanies, some Iraqis and in rare occasions Balkan muslims who are shiites.
The thing with the Greek church is that the only thing they have been doing for the last 2 decades, is hoard wealth and land.
One of the benefits of the crisis, is that the average Greek who used to be religious, is now turning against the church because of all the extravaganza the church shows (golden crosses, golden sticks, golden crowns, robes made out of silk with golden pins, luxury cars, tax evading ETC ETC).
There are 3 public events that the church is hosting each year,
the first one is called the Theofanis (Θεοφανια) in which they celebrate the baptism of Cheesus, by throwing a large golden cross at rivers, while Greek religious orcs try to catch first for blessings and luck
The second biggest event is the Epitaph (Επιταφιος) in which the priests wander around the streets with a coffin, which supposingly has Cheesus body in it, followed by brainless old ladies crying
And last but not least, we have the holy light, brought straight out of Jewrusalem, and then the religious people take the holy light, and do a cross with it at their front door
visitors can't see pics , please
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loginAs you can see, the holy light arrives in Greece with the honours of a leader
The article is a bit old, but 90% of the things it says apply even today.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/04/greece-orthodox-church-economic-crisisRumors have it, the the Church can pay Greeces debt 4 times (yes, they may have 1.5 bil euros wealth).