A senior cleric has said that Greece’s “atheist prime minister” was to blame for the devastating wildfires that have claimed at least 74 lives since Monday.



“Atheist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras draws the wrath of God,” Bishop Amvrosios of Kalavryta in the Peloponnese wrote on his blog Tuesday.



“The atheists of SYRIZA are the causes of the general disaster! Their atheis, draws the wrath of God!” he added.



His comments drew immediate condemnation on social media, including from other Orthodox clerics.



In a statement Tuesday, the Archbishopric of Athens said Amvrosios was “only expressing his personal opinion.”