name=Church of Greece[[Image:Greece logo.gif|center|Church of Greece]]|

The '''Church of Greece''' is one of the fourteen [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] churches of the Orthodox Christian communion , whose territory consists of the whole of Greece except for those parts which belong to the [[Patriarchate of Constantinople]], such as the Dodecanese and [[Archdiocese of Crete|Crete]]. Though bishops of the "new lands" (those that were liberated from 1912 and afterwardsafterward) are members of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Greece, they refer to commemorate the Patriarch of Constantinople in the divine services.

The current [[primate]] of Though it is also called the '''Greek Orthodox Church''' this reference is not restricted to the Church of Greece since it is His Beatitude 2008, [[Ieronymos II (Liapis) also used by some of Athens|Ieronymos II (Liapis)]], Archbishop the Churches and Archbishoprics under the Patriarchate of Athens and All GreeceConstantinople around the world.

== Organization History== The first contact of the Greeks with Christ is related by the author of the Fourth Gospel. He writes that some Greeks among those who used to visit Jerusalem at the Passover approached Philip and Andrew and asked to see Jesus (Jn. 12.20-->24). The Greeks, as seekers after truth, were eager to listen to something novel, to meet the new master. Jesus was aware that the Greeks who came to Him were men with a searching mind and a troubled spirit. Upon His confrontation with them, He exclaimed, "The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified" (Jn. 12.23). These Greeks were few in number, but Christ saw in them not only Greeks but Romans and Scythians and other peoples of all times and places who would also seek to find Him. Jesus said the hour had come for the Christian Gospel to be proclaimed outside the limited boundaries of ancient Israel. The Greeks have played a major role in the ''kerygma'' and the ''didache'' of Christ. The Greeks found in the person of Christ the eternal Logos and the "unknown God" of their forefathers, while Christ discovered in them sincere followers and dedicated apostles of the New Kingdom. In the history of the Greek Orthodox Church four stages of development can be distinguished. The first three centuries, through the age of Constantine the Great constitute the apostolic and ancient period. The medieval period includes almost ten centuries, to the fall of Constantinople. The age of captivity starts, roughly, in the fifteenth century and ends about the year 1830. It is followed by the modern period. == Structure =Stage 1: Apostolic and Ancient Period===*Archdiocese The Greek Orthodox Church traces its history back to the time of Athens*St. [[Metropolis of Aitolia and AkarnaniaApostle Paul|Paul]]*[[Metropolis who was the first to preach Christianity in Greece. He visited Athens, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Veroia, Corinth and Crete. Christianity eventually spread through Greece from these cities. In these early days, the Church of AlexandroupolisGreece comprised a diocese, with Corinth as the centre, Trianoupoli known then as Achaia and Samothraki]]considered a city of great importance. *The [[Metropolis Church of ArgolidaCyprus]]recognised its autonomy from the Church of Greece during the Council of Ephesus in 431. This was confirmed by the Emperor in 488. ===Stage 2: The Medieval Period===*Following three centuries of underground existence and persecution in the Roman Empire, it was again the Greek Church, the Greek language, and Greek [[Metropolis of Artamissionaries]]*that carried the Christian message in both the East and the West. This first period ended in 313 with the edict of toleration, where [[Metropolis of AtticaConstantine the Great]]divided the Roman Empire and prepared the way for Christianity to become the state religion of the later Roman and Byzantine empires. The geographical area we know today as Greece constituted the diocese of Eastern Illyricum, which was self-governing. *[[Metropolis For historical and other reasons, the Greeks for many centuries identified themselves solely as Christians and especially during the centuries of Chalkis]]*[[Metropolis captivity under the Turks<ref>The tradition of Chios]]*[[Metropolis the Greek Church has been one of Corfureligious toleration rather than nationalism. If this had not been true, the Greek Church, Paxoi in the Byzantine centuries and Islands]]*[[Metropolis especially during the four hundred years under the Turks, could have Hellenized all the minorities under her aegis or at least a great majority of them.</ref>. This is significant that although the patriarchs of Demetrias Constantinople and Almyros]]*[[Metropolis many bishops of Didymotichon the Bulgarians, Albanians, and Orestias]]Slavs were Greeks during the Ottoman period, they did not attempt to Hellenize their congregations: neither did they try to force them to abandon their liturgical traditions and cultures.<ref> The Greek historian K. Paparigopoulos, known for his patriotism, blamed the Church for not exploiting here numerous opportunities to Hellenize the various Balkan peoples in a period of four hundred years, something she could have done without much difficulty.</ref> *[[Metropolis The term "Hellene" as an ethnic name began to appear among the Greeks of Drama]]*[[Metropolis the high Middle Ages, but still was not commonly used. However, all nations living outside the medieval Greek world of Dryinoupolisthe Byzantine Empire, such as the Russians, the Germans, Khazars, the English, the Georgians, Pogonianithe peoples of Italy, and Konitsa]]*[[Metropolis the Franks, called the native inhabitants of Edessathe Byzantine Empire "Greeks." The designations "Greek Orthodox" and "Roman Catholic" were unknown in the early and medieval Church, Pella and Almopia]]they took on their distinct meaning only after the eleventh century. *By 733 AD, under Emperor Leo the Third, Greece was acknowledged as part of the [[Metropolis of ElassonaEcumenical Patriarch|Ecumenical]]Patriarchate of Constantinople but prior to this, it was subordinated to the Bishops of Rome.*[[Metropolis ===Stage 3: Age of Eleftheroupolis]]Captivity===*During the [[Metropolis of Elias and OleniByzantine]]*Empire and the subsequent Turkish occupation of Greece, the Christian church in Greece was under the administration of the [[Metropolis of Filippoi, Neapolis and ThasosEcumenical Patriarch|ecumenical]]*[[Metropolis Patriarch of Florina, Prespes and EordaiaConstantinople|patriarch]]*of [[Metropolis Patriarchate of FokidaConstantinople|Constantinople]]*. After the [[Metropolis w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of FthiotidaIndependence]]*(1821-32), the provisional president of Greece [[Metropolis of Glyfadaw:Ioannis Kapodistrias|Ioannis Kapodistrias]]*(1776-1831), began negotiations with the patriarch for the independence of the Greek church. The final decision was made when [[Metropolis w:Otto of Gortyna and MegalopolisGreece|Otto I]]*[[Metropolis (1815-1867), the new king of GoumenissaGreece, Axioupolis feared the Turkish government might still be able to influence the politics of Greece through the patriarchate of Constantinople and Polykastron]]as such the Greek church was declared autocephalous in 1833. The independence was formalised by Constantinople in 1850, with some limitations.  ===Stage 4: The Modern Period===*[[Metropolis Image:Patrik-Rum.jpg|right|thumb|Contemporary map of Grevenathe Ecumenical Patriarchate's jurisdictions in Turkey and Greece.]]*[[Metropolis In 1864, the Ionian islands were added to the Church of Greece and in 1881 the diocese of Gytheion Thessaly and Oetylos]]*[[Metropolis parts of HydraEpirus were also added. Also in this year, Spetses the first Greek Orthodox church was founded in America. Under an agreement made in 1908 between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Aegina]]*[[Metropolis the Holy Synod of Athens, jurisdiction of the churches in America was given to the Church of IerissosGreece. In 1927, the statutes regarding the Church were modified resulting in the government controlling the church and attending the Holy Synod meetings. So during the 20s and 30s, Agion Oros the turbulent political events in Greece divided the Greeks of America and Ardamerion]]this resulted in Archbishop Athenaogoras of Corfu to be appointed to head the Greek Church in America.*[[Metropolis of Ioannina]]*[[Metropolis Today the Church of KaisarianiGreece is governed by a Holy Synod, Vyrona presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Athens and Imittos]]*assisted by four bishops chosen in regular succession. The Patriarch of Constantinople is still regarded as the spiritual head of the church and all of the Holy Chrisma used in Greece is consecrated by him. Organised as a state church, similar to the pattern adopted in the Russian church under [[Metropolis of Kalavryta and Aigialiaw:Peter the Great|Peter the Great]]*of Russia, the ultimate authority is vested in the [[Metropolis Holy Synod|Synod of KarpenisionBishops]]*[[Metropolis under the presidency of the archbishop of Karystia Athens and Skyros]all Greece. A second synod, with the same presidency, consists of 12 bishops, each serving for one year only. The first synod deals with general ecclesiastical questions, whereas the second synod deals with administrative details. The church is divided into 81 small dioceses; some of these, are nominally under the jurisdiction of Constantinople. The majority of the church's priests in Greece do not have a university education, with very little formal training beyond two years at higher seminaries after high school. An up-to-date listing, in order of seniority of ordination, of the [http://www.ecclesia.gr/English/holysynod/hierarchy.htm Holy Synod]can be accessed at the Church of Greece's official website. == Greek language ==*[[Metropolis The Greek language has been known as the "Sacred Language" <ref> Arthur P. Stanley, a distinguished professor of Kassandreia]]ecclesiastical history at Oxford, some hundred years ago wrote:*[[Metropolis :''The Greek Church reminds us of the time when the tongue, not of Rome, but of Greece, was the sacred language of Christendom. It was a striking remark of the Emperor Napoleon that the introduction of Christianity itself was, in a certain sense, the triumph of Greece over Rome; the last and most signal instance of the maxim of Horace, Graecia capla ferum victorem cepit (captive Greece took its rude captor captive). The early Roman Church was but a colony of Greek Christians or Grecized Jews. The earliest Father of the Western Church wrote in Greek. The early popes were not Italians but Greeks. The name of the pope is not Latin, but Greek, the common and now despised name of every pastor in the Eastern Church. …. She is the mother and Rome the daughter. It is her privilege to claim a direct continuity of speech with the earliest times; to boast of reading the whole code of Scripture, Old as well as New, in the language in which it was read and spoken by the Apostles. The humblest peasant who reads his Septuagint or Greek Testament in his mother-tongue on the hills of Boeotia may proudly feel that he has access tot he original oracles of divine truth which pope and cardinal reach by a barbarous and imperfect translation; that he has a key of knowledge which in the West is only to be found in the hands of Kastoria]]the learned classes.''</ref><ref> Hugo Rahner, a leading Roman Catholic theologian:*:''"God spoke his revelation in the world of the Greek spirit and the Roman imperium and the Church guards this truth framed in the Greek speech of her sacred Book…The Church will continue to speak Greek even if…Hellas descend into the abyss of utter oblivion."''</ref><ref> [[Metropolis of KeffaliniaGeorges_Florovsky]]: *[[Metropolis :''"The task of Kitrosour time, in the Orthodox world, is to rebuild the Christian-Hellenic culture, Katerini not out of the relics and Platamona]]*[[Metropolis memories of the past, but out of the perennial spirit of Korinthos]]*[[Metropolis our Church, in which the values of Kythira]]*[[Metropolis culture were truly christened. Let us be more Hellenic in order that we may be truly Christian.''</ref> of Lagkada]]*[[Metropolis the church from the time of Larisa the Apostles and Tyrnavos]]*[[Metropolis enjoyed its prominence mainly in the early history of Lefkas Christianity. In scriptural study and Ithaca]]to a great extend it is one of the original languages of the Scriptures (the New Testament). *:''... adsolent Latini homines Graece cantare oblectati sono verborum nescientes tamen quid dicant.'' [[Metropolis The Latins are accustomed to singing in Greek, delighted by the sounds of Lemnos]the words, but not knowing what they are saying.]<ref> The "Ambrosiaster" (saec. IV) on 1 Cor 14:14; CSEL 81, 2, p. 153, 6 </ref> <!---*[[Metropolis The untranslated symbolism of the threefold "Ego sum A et Ω" of Mantinia and Kynouria]]the Apocalypse---> ==Theologians== *1359 St. [[Metropolis of Maroneia and KomotiniGregory Palamas]](1296-1359)*1770 St. [[Metropolis of Megara and SalamisKosmas Aitolos]](1714-1779)*1809 St. [[Metropolis of Mesogea and LavreotikiNicodemus the Hagiorite]](1748-1809)*1813 St. [[Metropolis of MessiniaAthanasius Parios]](1722-1813) ==Contemporary elders==*Elder [[Metropolis of MithimnaJoseph the Hesychast]](1898-1959)*Elder [[Metropolis George (Karslidis) of Monemvasia and SpartaDrama]](1901-1959)*Elder [[Metropolis Gervasius of MytiliniPatras]](1877-1964)*Elder [[Metropolis Amphilochios (Makris) of NafpaktosPatmos]](+1970)*Elder [[Metropolis Demetrius of Neapolis and StavroupolisTrikala]](1902-1975)*Elder [[Metropolis Philotheos (Zervakos) of Nea Ionia and PhiladelphiaParos]](1884-1980)*Hieromonk [[Metropolis Kosmas of Nea Krini and KalamariaZaire]](1942-1989)*Elder [[Metropolis Epiphanius of Nea SmyrniAthens]](+1989)*Elder [[Metropolis of NicaeaPorphyrios (Bairaktaris) the Kapsokalivite|Porphyrios]]*[[Metropolis of Nikopolis Kavsokalyvia and Preveza]]Kallisa (1906-1991)*Elder [[Metropolis Iacovos (Tsalikis) of ParamythiaEuboea]](1920-1991)*Elder [[Metropolis Paisios (Eznepidis)|Paisius the New of ParonaxiaMt Athos]](1924-1994)*Eldress [[Metropolis of PatraGabrielia (Papayannis)]](1897-1992)*Eldress [[Metropolis Macrina of PeiraeusVolos]](1921-1995)*Blessed [[Metropolis of PeristeriStavritsa the Missionary]](1916-2000)*Father [[Metropolis of Polyani and KilkisDimitris Gagastathis]] ==Modern writers==*[[Metropolis Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Samos and IkariaNafpaktos]]*[[Metropolis of Servia and KozaniApostoliki Diakonia]]*[[Metropolis 'Writers considered controversial in their point of Serres and Nigrita]]view:*[[Metropolis of SidirokastronApostolos Makrakis]]*[[Metropolis of Sisanio and SiatistaChristos Yannaras]] <!---*[[Metropolis of Stages and MeteoraMichael Apostolius]](d. 1480) succeeded by Aristobulus Apostolis and Arsenius Apostolius (Bishop of Malvasia (Monemvasia) in the Morea.  *[[Metropolis of Syros, Tenos, Andros, Kea, and MelosNikolaos Cavasilas]]born in Thessaloniki (d.1391).*[[Metropolis of Thessaliotis and FanariofersalaGeorge Codinus]]*[[Metropolis of ThessalonikiEvagrius Scholasticus]](d. 594)*[[Metropolis of Theva and LevadeiaSavitri Devi]]*[[Metropolis Patriarch Photios I of Thera, Amorgos and IslandsConstantinople]]*[[Metropolis of Trifylia and OlympiaSymeon Metaphrastes]] == Unsure ==*Patriarch [[Metropolis Cyril Lucaris|Cyril III (Lucaris) of Trikala and StagesAlexandria]]*[[Metropolis of Veria Constantinople (d. 1638), native to Crete and Naousa]]later Patriarch of Alexandria as Cyril III. == not-supported writers ==*Archbishop [[Metropolis Andrew of XanthiRhodes]](d. 1440)*[[Metropolis of Zakynthos and StrofadesLeo Allatius]]*[[Metropolis of Zihni ---> == References and Nevrokopio]]notes ==<references/>

===Official Sites of the Church of Greece===*[http://www.ecclesia.gr/ The Church of Greece]Official Site*[http://www.archdiocese.gr/ The Archdiocese of Athens] Official Site*[http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/index_en.asp Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece]*[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/ The Online Library Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www.artopos.gr/ The Online Cultural Center] of the Church of Greece*[http: //www.cultura.gr/ Multimedia Releases Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www..eikastikon.gr/ Gallery Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www.musicale.gr/ Music Gallery Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www.aula.gr/ Documentaries Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www.discussion.gr/ Discussion forum Site] of the Church of Greece*[http://www.europeanspirit.gr/ European Issues Site] of the Church of Greece ===Other Sites===*[http://www.regue.org Representation of the Church of Greece to the European Union], official website ===Church-State relations in Greece===* Anastasios Anastassiadis. [http://www.ceri-sciencespo.com/publica/question/qdr11.pdf Religion and Politics in Greece: The Greek Church's 'Conservative Modernization' in the 1990's]. Research in Question, No.11, January 2004. (pdf format). ===Various News Articles===* [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j2Y12eShqDwoJp5WKwRcNctWAkmw "Religion is main group activity in Greece:study"] - Hosted on AFP, 23rd May 2008* E. P. Blegen. ''Earliest Christian churches in Athens''.''' American Journal of Archaeology''' v. 50 (July 1946) pp.373-75.* George T. Dennis. ''[http://www.doaks.org/publications/doaks_online_publications/DOP57/DP57ch12.pdf The Late Byzantine Metropolitans of Thessalonike]''. '''Dumbarton Oaks Papers''' no. 57 (2003) pp.255-64. ===Non-Orthodox Resources===*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypgdefault.aspx?eccpageIDID=23&IndexViewpagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=toc Eastern Christian Churches: 1 The Orthodox Church of Greece] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman . Catholic priest and scholarNear East Welfare Association (CNEWA) website.*[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/grtoc.html Library of Congress - Federal Research Division - Country Studies - Greece] (See section on RELIGION: Orthodox Church of Greece).