Ieronymos II of Athens

Archbishop Ieronymos of the Church of Greece has lauded the level of cooperation with the state amid the coronavirus outbreak that also saw the conservative government impose a lockdown that closed places of worship for about two months, while identifying new areas of opportunity for the Church as a result of the pandemic.

By George Gilson

Back in the early 1980's when Archbishop Seraphim was at the height of his power and clashing openly (and successfully) with Andreas Papandreou over his bid for state expropriation of monastic lands and properties (attempted by his ill-fated minister Antonis Tritsis) ) Church-State relations were sorely tested.

Ierotheos, the bishop of Nafpaktos, conveyed his disappointment on Tuesday that reopening church services to the public has not been included in the initial phase of the government's plan to ease lockdown measures.

While unfathomable to some, among Orthodox Christians in Greece and elsewhere Dimitra's ambivalence is unsurprising given the mixed messages that came from church clergy.

Greece's Archbishop Ieronymos has written to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to ask for churches to be opened for the country's faithful as long as social distancing regulations imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic are observed.

Apostoli (Greek for Mission), the philanthropic organization of the Archdiocese of Athens under the Church of Greece, will be distributing food and medical supplies to 10,000 families in need, it has been announced.
"In these holy, but also difficult, days that we are all going through, we must not forget our fellow men, those who need a helping hand," Archbishop Ieronymos said.

Archbishop Ieronymos blessed thousands of parcels containing food and basic necessities that were distributed on Tuesday by the Archdiocese of Athens to people in need.

The parcels were given to about 10,000 families, following an initiative of the General Philoptochos Fund and the Apostoli charity of the Archdiocese of Athens.

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and all Greece has exited the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, a day after he had a pacemaker installed.

The procedure on Ieronymos, 82, was done using local anesthesia and he is "in excellent health" his office said in a statement Sunday.

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Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, the head of Greece's Orthodox Church, was admitted on Saturday at the Onassio Hospital to have a pacemaker installed.

The operation was scheduled and came after the recommendation of his physicians, Ieronymos' office says.

The government has extended measures banning all services at churches and other places of worship from March 30 to April 11. The new date is just a week ahead of Greek Orthodox Easter, the biggest event on the country's religious calendar.