A tiny political grouping in extreme northwest Greece known as “Ouranio Toxo”, or “Rainbow” in English, this week sent a letter to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople requesting, among others, that the “modern Macedonian language” be used in the liturgy, prayers and psalmodies addressed to a Slavic-speaking minority in the area, which it claims to represent.
The group, which last stood in the European parliament elections of 2014, and received less than 6,000 votes nationwide, also demanded the use of Slavic names in sacraments, such as baptisms and funerals.