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Christianity was first brought to the geographical area corresponding to modern Greece by the [[Apostle Paul]], although the church’s apostolicity also rests upon [[Apostle Andrew|St. Andrew]] who preached the gospel in Greece and suffered martyrdom in Patras, [[Apostle Titus|Titus]], Paul’s companion who preached the gospel in Crete where he became bishop, [[Apostle Philip (of the Twelve)|Philip]] who, according to the tradition, visited and preached in Athens, [[Apostle Luke|Luke the Evangelist]] who was martyred in Thebes, [[Lazarus]] of Bethany, Bishop of Kittium in Cyprus, and [[Apostle John|John the Theologian]] who was exiled on the island of [[Patriarchal Exarchate of Patmos|Patmos]] where he received the [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] recorded in the last book of the [[New Testament]]. In addition, the [[Theotokos]] is regarded as having visited the [[Mount Athos|Holy Mountain]] in 49 AD according to tradition. Thus Greece became the first European area to accept the gospel of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]. Towards the end of the 2nd century the early apostolic bishoprics had developed into metropolitan sees in the most important cities. Such were the sees of [[Thessalonica|Thessaloniki]], Corinth, Nicopolis, Philippi and Athens.<ref name="WCC">[http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/regions/europe/greece/church-of-greece.html World Council of Churches: Church of Greece].</ref>
By the 4th century almost the entire Balkan peninsula constituted the [[Timeline_of_Orthodoxy_in_Greece#Patriarchate_of_Rome|Exarchate of Illyricum]] which was under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome. Illyricum was assigned to the jurisdiction of the patriarch of Constantinople by the emperor in 732. From then on the [[Church of Greece|Church in Greece]] remained under Constantinople till the fall of the Byzantine empire to the Turks in 1453. As an integral part of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]] the church remained under its jurisdiction up to the time when Greece won her freedom from Turkish domination.<ref name="WCC"/> During the Ottoman occupation up to 6,000 Greek clergymen, ca. 100 Bishops, and 11 Patriarchs knew the Ottoman sword.<ref>[[Christodoulos (Paraskevaides) of Athens]]. ''[http://www.ecclesia.gr/english/archbishop/christodoulos_speeches.asp?cat_id=&id=641&what_main=3&what_sub=12&lang=en&archbishop_heading=Addresses/Speeches Address to the Conference organised by the Synodal Committee on European Issues, entitled “Islam: the extent of the problematics”].'' Holy Monastery of Penteli, Attica, 12/5/2007.</ref><ref>[[w:Demetrios Constantelos|Demetrios Constantelos]]. ''[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/constantelos_altrouistic_4.html Altruistic Suicide or Altruistic Martyrdom? Christian Greek Orthodox Neomartyrs: A Case Study].'' Archives of Suicide Research, Volume 8, No 1, 2004. (Myriobiblos Library).</ref><ref>{{el icon}} Bompolines, Κ. Α. (1952). ''The church in the struggle for freedom.'' Athens: no publisher given.</ref><ref>{{el icon}} Paparounis, Ρ.Ν. (no date). ''Under Turkish rule.'' Athens: Ekdoseis Gregoris, pp. 329-348.</ref><ref>{{el icon}} Perantones, Ι.Ρ. (1972). ''Lexicon of the neοmartyrs.'' Athens: no publisher is given.</ref><ref>{{fr icon}} [[w:François Pouqueville|Pouqueville]]. (1824). ''Histoire de la regeneration de la Grèce.'' Paris: F. Didot père et fils.</ref><ref>Vaporis, Ν.M. (2000). ''Orthodox Christian neomartyrs of the ottoman period 1437-1860. Witnesses for Christ.'' Crestwood, ΝΥ: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.</ref><ref group="note">"According to several accounts, from the [[Fall of Constantinople|Conquest of Constantinople]] to the last phase of the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]], the Ottoman Turks condemned to death 11 [[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople]], nearly 100 bishops, and several thousands of [[priest]]s, [[deacon]]s and [[monk]]s (Bompolines, 1952; Paparounis, no date; Perantones, 1972; [[w:François Pouqueville|Pouqueville]], 1824; Vaporis, 2000)."</ref>
The [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] of 1821-28, while leading to the liberation of southern Greece from the Turkish yoke, created anomalies in ecclesiastical relations, and in 1850 the Endemousa Synod in Constantinople declared the [[Church of Greece]] autocephalous.
== Notes ==
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==References==
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== Published works ==
* Rev. Dr. Nicon D. Patrinacos (M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon)). ''A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy - Λεξικον Ελληνικης Ορθοδοξιας''. Light & Life Publishing, Minnesota, 1984.
* Rev. A. H. Hore. ''[http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029361890 Eighteen centuries of the Orthodox Greek Church].'' London: James Parker & Co. 1899. 706pp. (''Re-printed: [http://www.gorgiaspress.com/bookshop/showproduct.aspx?ISBN=1-59333-051-0&1534-D83A_1933715A=21298d6137546098da8fa887c997148f348de914 Gorgias Press LLC], 2003.'')
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