The sleazy snap that made bishop ban weddings on this Greek island idyll
FOR the scores of Britons who marry in Rhodes, the beautiful beach-side monastery of St Paul is the perfect backdrop for a romantic shot.
Newlyweds Matthew and Carly Lunn, however, decided to take a disgusting X-rated photo there – and post it to their friends on Facebook.
With the holy site in the background, they posed in their wedding finery in the middle of what appears to be a sex act.
But their sleazy image has caused uproar on the Greek island as it emerged their antics could have ruined similar weddings for thousands of couples – and see them being sued by furious locals.
The island’s top prelate, Bishop Kyrillos of Rhodes, has now banned all foreign nuptials at the monastery.
The decision means potentially thousands of British couples – who make up the vast majority of the overseas wedding parties at the site – could be forced to cancel their ceremonies.
One bride-to-be yesterday told of her panic at the prospect of having to cancel her £40,000 dream nuptials that she booked two years ago.
Mrs Lunn was pictured kneeling in her wedding dress in front of her groom – whose shorts and underwear were round his ankles while his right arm was raised in triumph – beside the Greek Orthodox monastery in Lindos. The site has become a popular overseas wedding destination because it overlooks the heart-shaped St Paul’s Bay on the island’s east coast.
Island official Giorgos Eleftheriou, who conducted the Lunns’ civil ceremony, said: ‘I have thousands of soon-to-be brides from Britain and all over the world calling me today in tears because of this decision. Shame on those two for the damage they have done. Would they have done the same in their homeland; in front of a Christian chapel, a Jewish temple, a Muslim mosque?
‘We are Greek and we cherish our traditions and the sanctity of our religious sites. We cannot allow this disgusting behaviour to prevail.’ Mr Eleftheriou said the town’s four-strong council agreed with the bishop’s decision, despite bookings as far ahead as 2021.
He told The Times he was trying to work out a solution that could use other potential locations on the island. Mr Lunn, 27, who works for a vehicle recovery firm, and his 34-year- old wife were keeping a low profile yesterday. The pair, from Rowley Regis, West Midlands, removed their Facebook profiles and refused to respond when contacted. The bride has previously claimed they had posed for the picture as a ‘joke’.
However, Mr Lunn’s grandfather told MailOnline he was ‘disgusted’ by their conduct. Community leaders in Lindos are now considering whether to sue the Lunns for hundreds of thousands of euros over damages expected to be incurred from mass wedding cancellations.
Authorities in Rhodes said the mayor was holding off on signing the decree until the end of the month when the bulk of the season’s weddings are completed.
One resident told The Sun: ‘Even though it was a simulated act, they felt it defiled the church. People are outraged and ... want the couple to publicly apologise to Rhodes and particularly the church.’ Bride- to- be Suzanne Sparkles yesterday spoke of her devastation at the prospect of having to cancel her £40,000 ceremony for 52 guests.
The 33-year-old sales manager, from Chorley, Lancashire, had arranged to marry at St Paul monastery next May. She told Mail-Online: ‘These idiots have spoilt my dream wedding. ‘My message to the mayor would be that the British are not all like this couple.’
Melissa Lowe, of Staffordshirebased planning service Perfect Weddings Abroad, said it had five nuptials due at the monastery next year and had been in touch with clients ‘to offer reassurance’.
‘Shame on those two’