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In June 2007, after undergoing intestinal surgery in Athens the Archbishop was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer. He then waited fifty 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 government of Greece following his death which included funeral plans befitting a head of state. His funeral was held on [[January 31|31 January]] , 2008. It was presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], Patriarch [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilos III of Jerusalem]], Patriarch [[Theodoros II (Choreftakis) of Alexandria|Theodore II of Alexandria]], Patriarch [[Daniel (Ciobotea) of Romania|Daniel of Romania]], and was also attended by the Archbishop of Cyprus [[Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana|Chrysostomos II]] and the Archbishop of America [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]]. The election of his successor was carried out by the Synod of the Metropolitans of the [[Church of Greece]] on [[February 7 February ]], 2008.
Despite the criticism, Archbishop Christodoulos proved to be one of the most popular archbishops in Greek history, having a particular rapport with young people.