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| − | {{church|
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| − | name=Church of Greece[[Image:Greece logo.gif|center|Church of Greece]]|
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| − | founder=[[Apostles]]|
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| − | independence=1833|
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| − | recognition=1850 by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] |
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| − | primate=[[Ieronymos II (Liapis) of Athens|Ieronymos II]]|
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| − | hq=Athens, Greece|
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| − | territory=Greece|
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| − | possessions=—|
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| − | language=Greek|
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| − | music=[[Byzantine Chant]] / Choral|
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| − | calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
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| − | population=10,000,000 [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=23&IndexView=toc]|
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| − | website=[http://www.ecclesia.gr/ Church of Greece]
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| − | }}
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| − | The '''Church of Greece''', also called the '''Greek Orthodox Church''', is one of the most important of the fourteen [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] churches of the Orthodox Christian communion, whose territory consists of the whole of Greece except for those parts which belong to the [[Patriarchate of Constantinople]], such as the Dodecanese and [[Archdiocese of Crete|Crete]]. Though bishops of the "new lands" (those that were liberated from 1912 and afterwards) are members of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Greece, they refer to the Patriarch of Constantinople in the divine services.
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| − | ==Structure of the Church of Greece==
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| − | :<small> ''See Main Article: </small> [[Church of Greece Structure]]''
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| − | == Hierarchical Succession ==
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| − | The current [[primate]] of the Church of Greece is His Beatitude 2008, [[Ieronymos II (Liapis) of Athens|Ieronymos II (Liapis)]], Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.
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| − | :<small> ''See also: </small> [[List of Archbishops of Athens|List of Primates for the Church of Greece]]''
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| − | == Holy Synod of Greece ==
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| − | :<small> ''See Main Article: </small> [[Holy Synod of Greece]]''
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| − | The Church of Greece is organised as a state church, similar to the pattern adopted in the Russian church under [[w:Peter the Great|Peter the Great]] of Russia. The ultimate authority is vested in the [[Synod of Bishops]] under the presidency of the archbishop of Athens and all Greece. A second synod, with the same presidency, consists of 12 bishops, each serving for one year only. The first synnod deals with general ecclesiastical questions, whereas the second synod deals with administrative details. The church is divided into 81 small dioceses; some of these, are nominally under the jurisdiction of Constantinople. The majority of the church's priests in Greece do not have a university education, with very little formal training beyond two years at higher seminaries after high school. An up-to-date listing, in order of seniority of ordination, of the [http://www.ecclesia.gr/English/holysynod/hierarchy.htm Holy Synod] can be accessed at the Church of Greece's official website.
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| − | == Churches and Monasteries ==
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| − | :<small> ''See Main Article: </small> [[:Category:Greek Monasteries|List of Greek Monasteries]]''
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| − | ==History==
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| − | The Greek Orthodox Church traces its history back to the time of St. [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] who was the first to preach Christianity in Greece. He visited Athens, Philipi, Thessaloniki, Veroia, Korinth and Crete. Christianity eventually spread through Greece from these cities. In these early days, the '''Church of Greece''' comprised of a diocese, with Korinth as the centre, known then as Achaia and considered a city of great importance.
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| − | The [[Church of Cyprus]] recognised its autonomy from the '''Church of Greece''' during the Council of Ephesus in 431. This was confirmed by the Emperor in 488.
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| − | When [[Constantine the Great]] divided the Roman Empire, Greece and Macedonia constituted the diocese of Eastern Illyricum, which was self-governing. By 733 AD, under Emperor Leo the Third, Greece was acknowledged as part of the [[Ecumenical Patriarch|Ecumenical]] Patriarchate of Constantinople but prior to this, it was subordinated to the Bishops of Rome.
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| − | During the [[Byzantine]] Empire and the subsequent Turkish occupation of Greece, the Christian church in Greece was under the administration of the [[Ecumenical Patriarch|ecumenical]] [[Patriarch of Constantinople|patriarch]] of [[Patriarchate of Constantinople|Constantinople]]. After the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] (1821-32), the provisional president of Greece [[w:Ioannis Kapodistrias|Ioannis Kapodistrias]](1776-1831), began negotiations with the patriarch for the independence of the Greek church. The final decision was made when [[w:Otto of Greece|Otto I]] (1815-1867), the new king of Greece, feared the Turkish government might still be able to influence the politics of Greece through the patriarchate of Constantinople and as such the Greek church was declared autocephalous in 1833. The independence was formalised by Constantinople in 1850, with some limitations.
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| − | In 1864, the Ionian islands were added to the Church of Greece and in 1881 the diocese of Thessaly and parts of Epirus were also added. Also in this year, the first Greek Orthodox church was founded in America. Under an agreement made in 1908 between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Holy Synod of Athens, jurisdiction of the churches in America was given to the Church of Greece. In 1927, the statutes regarding the Church were modified resulting in the government controlling the church and attending the Holy Synod meetings. So during the 20s and 30s, the turbulent political events in Greece divided the Greeks of America and this resulted in Archbishop Athenaogoras of Corfu to be appointed to head the Greek Church in America.
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| − | Today the '''Church of Greece''' is governed by a Holy Synod, presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Athens and assisted by four bishops chosen in regular succession. The Patriarch of Constantinople is still regarded as the spiritual head of the church and all of the Holy Chrisma used in Greece is consecrated by him.
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| − | :<small> ''See also: </small> [[Timeline of Orthodoxy in Greece]]''
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| − | ==Greek saints==
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| − | <small> See Main Article: </small> [[:Category:Greek Saints|Greek Saints]]
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| − | Over the centuries, the Church of Greece has been associated with many saints on the Church's calendar. '''Some''' of these include:
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| − | {| width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="2" border=0
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| − | *[[Andrew of Crete]]
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| − | *[[Demetrios of Thessaloniki]]
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| − | *[[Gregory Palamas]]
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| − | *[[Irene Chrysovalantou]]
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| − | | align="left" valign="top"|
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| − | *[[Kosmas Aitolos]]
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| − | *[[Nectarios of Aegina]]
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| − | *[[Nicholas (Planas)]]
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| − | *[[Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain]]
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| − | *[[Phanourios]] of Rhodes
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| − | *[[Raphael, Nicholas and Irene]]
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| − | |}
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| − | == Greek language on the church ==
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| − | The Greek language has been known as the "Sacred Language" of the church from the time of the Apostles and enjoyed its prominence mainly in the early history of Christianity. In scriptural study and to a great extend it is one of the original languages of the Scriptures (the New Testament).
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| − | :''... adsolent Latini homines Graece cantare oblectati sono verborum nescientes tamen quid dicant.'' [The Latins are accustomed to singing in Greek, delighted by the sounds of the words, but not knowing what they are saying.] <ref> The "Ambrosiaster" (saec. IV) on 1 Cor 14:14; CSEL 81, 2, p. 153, 6 </ref>
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| − | <!---
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| − | The untranslated symbolism of the threefold "Ego sum A et Ω" of the Apocalypse
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| − | --->
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| − | == Greek Theologians ==
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| − | <small> Note: Strictly, a "Theologian", in Orthodoxy, is a person who has first been sanctified by God and has been canonised as a "Saint" by the church. This type of "theologian" is listed in this section only. </small>
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| − | *1359 St. [[Gregory Palamas]] (1296-1359)
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| − | *1770 St. [[Kosmas Aitolos]] (1714-1779)
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| − | *1809 St. [[Nicodemus the Hagiorite]] (1748-1809)
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| − | *1813 St. [[Athanasius Parios]] (1722-1813)
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| − | == Contemporary Greek Elders ==
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| − | *<small> Note, by the term ''Elder'' in this section it is inferred that these Elders have been ''filled with the Grace of God'' and are not officially canonised by the church but are un-officially considered ''saints', or have been canonised as a saint.</small>
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| − | {{Inprogress|Ixthis888}}
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| − | * Elder [[Joseph the Hesychast]] (1898-1959)
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| − | * Elder [[George of Drama]] (1901-1959)
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| − | * Elder [[Gervasius of Patras]] (1877-1964)
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| − | * Elder [[Amphilochius of Patmos]] (+1970)
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| − | * Elder [[Demetrius of Trikala]] (1902-1975)
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| − | * Elder [[Philotheos (Zervakos) of Paros]] (1884-1980)
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| − | * Hieromonk [[Kosmas of Zaire]] (1942-1989)
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| − | * Elder [[Epiphanius of Athens]] (+1989)
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| − | * Elder [[Porphyrius]] of Kavsokalyvia and Kallisa (1906-1991)
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| − | * Elder [[Iacovos (Tsalikis) of Euboea]] (1920-1991)
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| − | * Elder [[Paisius the New of Mt Athos]] (1924-1994)
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| − | * Eldress [[Macrina of Volos]] (1921-1995)
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| − | * Blessed [[Stavritsa the Missionary]] (1916-2000)
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| − | * Papa-Dimitri Gagastathi
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| − | == Modern Writers ==
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| − | *[[Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos]]
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| − | *[[Christos Yannaras]]
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| − | '''Controversial'''
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| − | *[[Apostolos Makrakis]]
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| − | <!---
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| − | *[[Michael Apostolius]] (d. 1480) succeeded by Aristobulus Apostolis and Arsenius Apostolius (Bishop of Malvasia (Monemvasia) in the Morea.
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| − | *Hieromonk [[Nikephoros Theotokis]] (d. 1800) Greek: Νικηφόρος Θεοτόκης; Russian: Никифор Феотоки, born in Corfu. "Teacher of the Nation"
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| − | *[[Nicholas Cabasilas]] born Thessaloniki d.1391
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| − | *[[George Codinus]]
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| − | *[[Evagrius Scholasticus]] (d. 594)
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| − | *[[Savitri Devi]]
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| − | *Patriarch Photios I of Constantinople]]
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| − | *[[Symeon Metaphrastes]]
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| − | == Unsure ==
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| − | *Patriarch [[Cyril Lucaris|Cyril III (Lucaris) of Alexandria]] of Constantinople (d. 1638), native to Crete and later Patriarch of Alexandria as Cyril III.
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| − | == not-supported writers ==
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| − | *Archbishop [[Andrew of Rhodes]] (d. 1440)
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| − | *[[Leo Allatius]]
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| − | --->
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| − | == References and notes ==
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| − | <references/>
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| − | ==Source==
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| − | *[http://www.ecclesia.gr/ Church of Greece website]
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| − | == External links ==
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| − | '''Official Sites of the Church of Greece''':
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| − | *[http://www.ecclesia.gr/ The Church of Greece] Official Site
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| − | *[http://www.archdiocese.gr/ The Archdiocese of Athens] Official Site
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| − | *[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/ The Online Library Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.artopos.gr/ The Online Cultural Center] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.cultura.gr/ Multimedia Releases Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www..eikastikon.gr/ Gallery Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.musicale.gr/ Music Gallery Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.aula.gr/ Documentaries Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.discussion.gr/ Discussion forum Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | *[http://www.europeanspirit.gr/ European Issues Site] of the Church of Greece
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| − | '''Other Sites'''
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| − | *[http://www.regue.org Representation of the Church of Greece to the European Union], official website
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| − | '''Church-State relations in Greece'''
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| − | * Anastasios Anastassiadis. [http://www.ceri-sciencespo.com/publica/question/qdr11.pdf Religion and Politics in Greece: The Greek Church's 'Conservative Modernization' in the 1990's]. Research in Question, No.11, January 2004. (pdf format).
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| − | '''Various News Articles'''
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| − | * [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j2Y12eShqDwoJp5WKwRcNctWAkmw "Religion is main group activity in Greece:study"] - Hosted on AFP, 23rd May 2008
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| − | '''Non-Orthodox Reviews'''
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| − | *[http://www.cnewa.us/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?IndexView=alpha&eccpageID=23 The Orthodox Church of Greece]. CNEWA Papal Agency website.
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/grtoc.html Library of Congress - Federal Research Division - Country Studies - Greece] (See section on RELIGION: Orthodox Church of Greece).
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| − | {{churches}}
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| − | [[Category:Jurisdictions|Greece]]
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| − | [[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Grecia]]
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| − | [[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Greciei]]
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