Please hold in your hearts all who are denied entrance to some of the most beautiful places surrounding Mytilini, because of people who have weaponised and nationalised a symbol of Christian hope.
Please also keep in your thoughts all who are celebrating liberation, acceptance and love.
For many Christians, the cross is a symbol of salvation and hope. This symbol will soon be in the center of attention and celebrations as the Easter is approaching. The time of Lent that started in March is the preparation of the believers for Easter through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, and denial of ego.
It was shortly before Lent when a faction of the Christian community in Lesvos erected a large cross on the eastern shoreline facing Turkey. This community has politicised their faith and weaponised the symbolism of their faith to deter migrants and proclaim that migrants are not welcome in Greece. They have built a monument based on fear, anger, and nationalism. Their monument is devoid of love, connection, and compassion. It is a sad sight. They have claimed the shoreline for themselves and are now patrolling the space in order to prevent the ‘other’ from entering and to prevent people who believe in inclusivity from taking their monument down.
![A painting on the separation wall that reads "Make [heart] not walls"](https://cpt.org/wp-content/uploads/231128-CPT-intl-poem-768x512.jpg)