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:''"Christodoulos has often stirred controversy with politically tinged statements. He was instrumental in attempts to improve ties with the [[Roman Catholic|Catholic Church]]; in 2001, Christodoulos received in Athens [[Pope]] [[John Paul II]]—the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years—ignoring loud protests from Orthodox zealots. He followed up last year 2006 with a historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope [[Benedict XVI]] signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and restating opposition to [[abortion]] and [[euthanasia]]. In Greece, politicians accused the archbishop of meddling in their affairs, angered by his vocal criticism of everything from [[homosexuality]] and [[w:Globalization|globalization]] to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and a recent government effort to tone down nationalism in school history books."'' {{ref|1}}
He was a very charismatic leader who engaged the youth of the country, and who is also credited with reinvigorating the vast institution of the church in Greece during his ten year tenure.
In June 2007 the Archbishop was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer after undergoing intestinal surgery in Athens. He then waited 50 days in Miami, Florida for a compatible liver to become available, however the transplant was halted in October 2007 after tumors were found in the archbishop's abdominal cavity. He died from the spread of cancer on [[January 28]], 2008. A four-day period of mourning was announced by the Interior Ministry in nation of Greece following his deathincluding funeral plans befitting a head of State.
==External links==
* [[w:Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens|Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens]] at '''WIKIPEDIA'''.
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/greece/current.htm#christodoulos_archbishop Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute
