Church of Greece
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The Church of Greece (Greek: Eκκλησία της 'Eλλάδος Ekklēsía tês Helládos, IPA: [ekliˈsia tis eˈlaðos]) is one of the fifteen autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches which make up the Eastern Orthodox Communion. Today it is one of the most important autocephalous, or ecclesiastically independent, churches of the Eastern Orthodox communion. Its canonical territory encompasses the pre-1833 borders of Greece, approximately half of Greek territory (the rest of Greece is subject to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, however due to an arrangement agreed between the churches of Athens and Constantinople, most of those dioceses are de facto administered as part of the Church of Greece for practical reasons).
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[edit] Prevailing religion of Greece
The Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ is established by law as the "prevailing" religion of Greece. The Orthodox Church is financially supported by the government and exercises significant political and economic influence. By virtue of its status as the prevailing religion, the canon law of the Church is recognized by the Greek government.
All Greek Orthodox students in primary and secondary schools must attend religious instruction.
[edit] Church hierarchy
Supreme authority is vested in the synod of all the diocesan bishops who all have metropolitan status (the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, Greek: Ἱερὰ Σύνοδος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ἑλλάδος Hierà Sýnodos tês Ekklēsías tês Helládos, IPA: [jeˈra ˈsinoðos tis ekliˈsias tis eˈlaðos]) under the presidency of the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece. This synod deals with general church questions. The Standing Synod is under the same presidency, and consists of the Primate and 12 bishops, each serving for one term on a rotating basis and deals with details of administration.
The church is organised into 81 dioceses; 30 of these, in northern Greece and in the major islands in the north and northeast Aegean, are nominally under the jurisdiction of Constantinople which retains certain privileges over and in them -- for example, their bishops have to acknowledge the Patriarch as their own primate during prayers. They are called "The New Lands" (Νέες Χώρες, Neai Chorai) and are represented by 6 of the 12 bishops of the Standing Synod. The dioceses of Crete and the Dodecanese and the Monastic Republic of Holy Mount Athos are under the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
[edit] Clergy and religious
As in all other Eastern Orthodox Churches, graduates from seminaries run by the church may be ordained as deacons and eventually priests. They are allowed to marry before their ordination as deacons, but not afterwards. Alternatively they may enter monasteries and/or take monastic vows. If they possess a university degree in theology, they are eligible as candidates to the episcopate.
[edit] Old style Calendarists
A split occurred within the Church in 1923 when the Holy Synod decided to replace the Old Style Calendar (Julian) with the a modified New Style calendar. The schismatics are known as Old Style Calendarists (palaioimerologites in Greek) and still follow the old Julian Calendar.
[edit] History
The Church was formerly a part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It was declared autocephalous in 1833 in a political decision of the Bavarian Regents acting for King Otto, who was a minor. It was only recognized as such by the Patriarchate in 1850, under certain conditions with the issue of a special "Tomos" decree which brought it back to a normal status. As a result, it retains certain special links with the "Mother Church".
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
Tomkinson, John L., Between Heaven and Earth: The Greek Church, Anagnosis (Athens, 2004) ISBN 960-87186-5-1
[edit] External links
- The official website of the Church of Greece
- Anagnosis Books Greek Church Pages
- Map of Old & New Lands (Greek)
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1 Entirely in Southwest Asia; included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. 3 Mostly in Asia. 4 Entirely in the African Plate, included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 5 Only recognised by Turkey. | |
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