LAST UPDATE 17:44
By Emilios Polygenis
The unilateral interventions of the State in matters of the Church, particularly regarding its property and finances, have always been detrimental, “so the dialogue with the State must continue,” Archbishop Ieronymos said in his contribution to the Hierarchy.
He stressed that many issues have matured, despite the mistakes made “by myself too” in procedural and communicative terms, but there is the realistic possibility of reaching an agreement that will secure the clergy and the members of the Church and will empower its self-government.
The Archbishop, at the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy, thanked those who participated in the Church-State dialogue committee.
Through this dialogue, he said, the outstanding issues that have become a gangrene on the body of the Church are being addressed.
Our mission, he noted, is not to deal only with the old issues, but especially with those that are to come in the future.
“These, what have remained, what our fathers have left us, stones, soil, material goods, we will turn them into spirit. A spirit that will organize an administrative-free Church that will relieve those who suffer. I hope that our vision will be realized.”
Meanwhile, on the first day of its extraordinary meeting, the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy expressed its fundamental confidence in the Special Committee for dialogue between the Church and the State.
As stated in the communiqué issued after conclusion of the committee’s work, the Holy Synod unanimously congratulated the Special Committee on “the excellent way in which has addressed the issue to this day entrusted to it”.
Prior to the beginning of the meeting, an Archieratic Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was held at the katholikon of the Holy Petraki Monastery, by the Metropolitan Ieronymos of Larisa and Tyrnavos.
