Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and President of Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos decided not to attend the blessing of waters at Pireaus port on Epiphany Day.

Instead, they attended the ceremony held at Dionysiou Areopagitou church at Kolonaki along with Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis and other members of the government and politicians.

Although there was no official explanation, the prime minister reportedly wanted to keep a distance from Bishop Seraphim of Piraeus due to his recently statements on civil partnership agreement.

Bishop Seraphim has said that this agreement goes against the principles of faith and “wants to create a new kind of man who does not exist in nature.”