Various reactions have caused an e-shop for the Greek Orthodox Christians. Startup Do My Tama offers the possibility to Greek Orthodox Christiasn to fulfill their oblation to a saint even if they are far away.
Using the internet and the new technologies, Greeks abroad can choose a church or a monastery dedicated to a specific saint and order his or her offering: a candle, a prosforo* or a silver oblation.
One of the 70 members of the start up across Greece will look to fulfill the order and send a feedback including a picture or a video if required.
"Do My Tama tries to bring the Greeks back to their homeland, as if they were here. We fulfil their tama, whatever that may be, in the churches and the monasteries they desire, because they can’t be here. Over time we have managed to get the Greek out of our country, but we can’t get our country out of our compatriots souls, "said, Maria Psyridi, explaining the reasons that led her to the creation of this group.
The prices for the oblations service are anything than cheap, except for “commemoration service” that is reading the names of deceased beloved ones, that is free of charge.
The founders note that part of the money goes to a non-governmental charity organisation of the customer’s choice.
"What we want to do is to help charitable organisations in Greece who need it and at the same time to help the ecclesiastical charity work. With Do My Tama a person in need will have a job, also a charity organisation and a church will get help. That was the whole idea to help each other," said Maria Psyridi.
The position of the Greek church
The opposition to the practices of this website expressed the Greek Orthodox Church, stressing that such practices are totally opposed to Orthodox Christian faith.
"It is regrettable in the year 2018 that there are people who want to speculate at the expense of religious sentiment. Can an electronic process replace the voucher? Religious sentiment and contact with the Divine in general is not replaced by any new technology, nor is it apparently from video and photos, "a statement said.
*prosforo is a small loaf of leavened bread with a special seal offered at the Divine Liturgy.
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