Photo taken on Dec. 10, 2019 shows a general view of the Syntagma Square decorated for the Christmas season in Athens, Greece. The festive season kicked off in Athens with the tree lighting ceremony on Syntagma Square on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

 A party for "sinners" in a southern Greek town was cancelled this week after a poster depicting Jesus Christ with earrings and makeup sparked death threats, the organizers said.

The Christmas Eve party in a bar in the port town of Nafplio had invited "sinners of the world" to "celebrate the birthday of the man who brought the message of love and solidarity."

The modified image of an icon of Jesus advertising the event on Facebook had also been stamped with the word 'blasphemy' in red capital letters. 

There was an immediate outcry from a local priest, bar organizers said on their Facebook page, which has since been completely removed.

"We have just received a call from the priest who is threatening to post pictures of our fathers dressed in drag outside the church," they said.

The organizers added that they had received calls threatening to "kill and lynch" them.

AFP