In the last two years, the Aegean islands have attracted young people who want to hold a wedding ceremony against picturesque landscapes or on the beach. Most often, tourists from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, and even China come to Greece for this purpose. Only on Santorini, 500 wedding ceremonies are held annually. Travel companies, taking into account the new trendy trend, have prepared special wedding packages, the cost of which can reach €4,000.
As stated in the bishop's encyclical, when contacting travel agencies, newlyweds do not always provide a complete set of documents. Some hide that they have already been in a church marriage (and a second church marriage is prohibited for Catholics).
Orthodox priests in Greece have also refused to conduct staged wedding ceremonies on Santorini and other islands. However, as noted by the local newspaper Elefteros Tipos, such weddings are actively supported by the authorities, as they bring significant sums to the budget and contribute to the development of the tourism industry.