Published on August 26, 2010
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A NICOSIA newly-wed couple found their recent confetti shower – a good luck tradition – was to set their best man back €100 when the priest demanded cash on the spot to clean it up.
The mother of the best man, Andri Boyiadji was outraged when the church of Ayios Georgios in Latsia asked her son to pay €100 for cleaning the confetti and rice left behind after last Saturday’s ceremony.
Boyiadji said it all started after the ceremony when the couple exited the church to a shower of glittering paper and rice thought to bring good luck.
“When he saw the confetti commotion, the priest who was in charge at the time was outraged, telling the couple’s young friends to stop what they were doing as it would create a mess on the church yard,” she said.
“The sexton later appeared telling my son – the best man - he owed the church €100 for cleaning expenses, even though I later discovered a cleaning lady is paid €300 monthly for this very task,” Boyiadji added. Her 25-year-old son was put on the spot and forced to pay up.
Boyiadji intervened telling the sexton they would clean the patio themselves and began doing so but he refused to return the money.
“People coming for the evening service were looking at us and crossing themselves; they must have thought we were crazy, vacuuming the church floor in our suits and gowns. The wedding started at 5pm but we didn’t get to the reception until 9pm. My son should have been celebrating with the groom and his friends but instead he was stuck doing the task of the church cleaner,” Boyiadji added. “Let’s all give up our customs and change careers. €100 for a 20-minute job sounds pretty good to me.”
The church did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
