The Church of Greece expressed support yesterday for the creation of a mosque in Athens so that the city’s Muslims would have a place of worship.

Support has been growing for the idea recently but the Greek Orthodox Church had remained silent on the issue until after yesterday’s meeting of the Holy Synod.

“Nobody can deny the faithful of a well-known religion like Islam the right to exercise their religious duties freely,” said Bishop Chrysostomos of Patras. “We live in a democratic country which should display respect and tolerance.”

The Synod did not discuss the mosque’s location but said it would tackle the subject soon. A mosque in Monastiraki Square in central Athens is being touted as a possibility. It was built in 1759 but is currently used as an art museum. There are no official mosques in Athens and Muslims often travel to Thrace for religious ceremonies.