Education minister questions point of religious morning ritual

Education Minister Nikos Filis questioned the importance of school prayers saying, “It’s no sin if the day doesn’t start with one,” in a statement that could further fuel an ongoing feud with the Church of Greece over the role of religion in schools.

“There are so many other ways to begin a school day – with announcements, with a reference to an anniversary and other things,” he said.

Filis also weighed in on a debate over whether pupils should take part in military parades on national days, expressing his inability to understand what “military formations at parades” have to offer.