JAKARTA - The leader of the Catholic Church around the world Pope Francis has decided to return three 2,500-year-old Parthenon pieces to Greece, which has been a collection of papalities at the Vatican Museum for more than a century.
The Vatican said in a brief statement on Friday the Pope gave it to Ieronymos II, head of the Greek Orthodox Church, as a sign of equitable dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church.
The parthenon, which is in Achrompolis in Athens, was completed in the fifth century BC as the Temple of Dewi Athena. Its decorative path contains several examples of the largest ancient Greek statue.
It is not yet clear what Ieronymos plans for the small statues returned by the Vatican.
According to the Vatican Museum website, one section to be returned is the head of the horse that is pulling the Athens warship on the west side of the building.
Others from the head of the boy and the head of the boy were beard. The three historical objects have been at the Vatican since the 19th century.
The reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures looks closer than ever before.Pope Francis has pledged to return the fragments of Parthenon Sculptures from the Vatican back to Greece, where they belong.We’re one step closer to being able to #UniteParthenon. pic.twitter.com/Mwr2Wh0z6A
— Parthenon Project (@UniteParthenon) December 21, 2022
The pieces were returned to Greece as London and Athens continued to fight for the so-called Kelereng Elgin (Elgin Marbles).
Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni expressed her gratitude to Pope Francis, "for the generous decision," saying in a statement, it supported the government's efforts to return the historic object from the British Museum.
Greece has repeatedly called for the permanent return of the 2,500-year-old statue, which was moved by British diplomat Lord Elgin of the temple of Parthenon in the early 19th century, when he became Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, then Greek rulers.
The British Museum has always ruled out the return, covering about half of the 160-meter (525 ft)-long decorations that adorn the Parthenon, and insisted it was obtained legally.
Earlier this month, a Greek newspaper reported that an agreement to return the collection to Greece was imminent, but the Greek government said it would not happen in the near future.
In March, UN cultural bodies UNESCO urged Greece and Britain to reach an agreement.
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