Religion in Greece

Yesterday, Sunday, December 5, the head of the Catholic Church met with the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Athens, Ieronymos II, in the Athens Archdiocese.

In the second day of his official visit to Greece, the Prince of Wales met with Archbishop Ieronymos II at the Archbishopric of Athens on Thursday, to discuss charity work. 

Religious affairs lessons in Greek schools are to remain compulsory, the Church of Greece and the government have agreed, despite a proposal by the country's education policy institute, known by its acronym IEP, that those lessons be optional.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis and the head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop Ieronymos, Thursday signed a memorandum of cooperation on "social solidarity and cohesion."

Education Minister Nikos Filis appears to have become persona non grata in the eyes of the Church of Greece and Archbishop Ieronymos, who, in a interview on Skai TV late Tuesday, described him as a "problematic person" and "inconsistent in his actions and words."

As such, he said "one cannot expect this relationship to bear any fruit."

Amid the ongoing dispute between the government and senior Orthodox clergy over the issue of the separation of Church and state, Archbishop Ieronymos touched on the matter during a sermon at Aghios Dimitrios Church in Athens on Wednesday.

Archbishop Ieronymos, the head of the Church of Greece, is a shining example - and an exception - of reason and tranquillity in the country's particularly toxic, current environment.

The Church of Greece, and by extension Greek society in general, are fortunate to have Archbishop Ieronymos in the position he is in today.

Archbishop Ieronymos has shot back at comments made by Education Minister Nikos Filis who cast doubt over the role the Church of Greece played during the country's military dictatorship in 1967-74.

The Ministry of Education is to be renamed the Ministry of Culture, Education, Research and Religion. Naturally, knew signage is needed, but the expenditure for the change of signage and the new printing of logos is estimated to amount to more than 800,000 euros, reports Greek daily newspaper Ethnos.