Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his hope that two Greek servicemen being held in a maximum security prison in the city of Adrianople in Turkey, since March 1, would soon be released and return to their families and duties.

During his Easter message on Saturday night, Patriarch Bartholomew said the Metropolitan of Adrianople would visit the two soldiers in prison after Turkish authorities had granted permission.
“Our joy for Easter is magnified by the fact that yesterday, Good Friday, we were given permission by the competent authorities so that the Metropolitan of Adrianople Amphilochios, as our representative, will tomorrow (today) visit the two Greek Orthodox soldiers, Dimitrios and Angelos, and exchange the ‘Christ has Risen’ wishes and convey the love and affection of the Mother Church, along with wishes for them to return soon to their families and duties”, Bartholomew said.

The two Greek servicemen have been in a Turkish prison since the beginning of March when Turkish security forces captured them after they had strayed into Turkish territory during a patrol on the borders of the Evros River in the east north of Greece.