The Greek government has approved the creation of 600 organizational positions for priests to strengthen the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and the Holy Monastery of Sinai. This decision directly supports Greek clergy serving in these ancient institutions, many of whom have been ministering without salaries, medical care, or the prospect of retirement.
The decision holds significant geopolitical importance, as these patriarchates face mounting pressure from the Moscow Patriarchate. This issue has been decades in the making. Since 2004, the patriarchates have repeatedly requested assistance from Greek governments to address the dire conditions faced by their clergy.
Many venerable elders, who dedicated their lives to safeguarding monasteries and holy sites in the Holy Land where the Greek flag flies alongside the Byzantine one, have ended their lives without access to medical care or pensions. Similarly, clergymen who served for decades in Greek Diaspora communities returned to Greece at the end of their lives with no entitlement to social support. An exception to this has been the Archdiocese of America, which has the financial capacity to address such issues.
The neglect of this issue by successive Greek governments led to a slow but steady decline in the influence and standing of the senior patriarchates. Churches were closed, and Greek communities abroad began to dissolve. The establishment of 600 organizational positions for clergy represents a decisive move to reverse this decline. According to government sources, the decision is also strategically aimed at reinforcing Greece’s role in the “geopolitics of religions.”
The geopolitical challenges are stark. After the Ecumenical Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate intensified its hostility, with Russia using religious influence as a tool of foreign policy. The Patriarchate of Alexandria’s recognition of Ukrainian autocephaly triggered direct Russian interventions in Africa.
The Russian Orthodox Church, with the full backing of the Russian state, has been waging an aggressive campaign against the Ecumenical Patriarchate and any Church or individual aligned with it. This campaign is rooted in Russia’s identification with the theory of the “Third Rome” and its efforts to reshape the very identity of Orthodoxy to serve its geopolitical ambitions.
The Patriarchate of Alexandria has also been targeted by Russian aggression, particularly after its recognition of the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine. Despite Orthodox canons, the Moscow Patriarchate appointed an exarch in Cairo and, leveraging Russian embassies across Africa, began attempts to entice clergy from the Patriarchate of Alexandria. According to Kathimerini, in Africa, priests of the Patriarchate of Alexandria typically receive a monthly stipend of 200 euros, without benefits or pensions. In contrast, Russian representatives have been offering 1,000 euros, along with diplomatic passports.
These interventions included cooperation with the Coptic Church, described by ecclesiastical officials as “strange,” given that Russia had previously accused the Ecumenical Patriarchate of “selling out” Orthodoxy for engaging in dialogue with the Copts. Russia offered a church in central Moscow for Coptic use and, in exchange, received access to a church in Cairo and another in Sinai.
These actions have exacerbated the long-standing issues faced by the clergy of the Greek Diaspora, adding new dimensions to their struggles. As one government source noted, “Without the constitutional and historical support owed to the ancient patriarchates, it had become clear that they would face a severe existential crisis.”
The steps leading to the decision
Over the past few years, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens has been seeking solutions to avert a looming collapse. However, finding a permanent solution in the midst of Greece’s acute financial crisis proved difficult. Despite the difficulties, Archbishop Ieronymos persevered. One result of these efforts was the deployment of 250 clergy from the Church of Greece to serve abroad, depriving their parishes in Greece of their services. While this measure prevented the collapse of the old patriarchates, it did not solve the underlying problem. Moreover, the Archbishop of Athens first had to address the issue of clergy within the Church of Greece itself.
The persistence of Archbishop Ieronymos and the meeting of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Akis Skertsos
A tool for leverage
This issue, unresolved since 1945, was used in 2018 as a tool to pressure the Church of Greece into accepting the SYRIZA government’s proposal for the “regulation” of state-church relations. With the enactment of Law 4957/2022, the government decisively resolved this long-standing issue, demonstrating not only its respect for, but also its concrete support for, the mission and contribution of the Church, especially the ministry of the ordinary parish priest.
Efforts to address the issue began to take shape following a meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek government ministers during his visit to Greece. In discussions with the Ministers of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, and State, Akis Skertsos, the Ecumenical Patriarch outlined the global state of the Greek diaspora and the existential challenges facing the Patriarchate, particularly in light of Russian aggression.
A month later, a high-level meeting was convened with the participation of Mr. Pierrakakis, Mr. Skertsos, Deputy Foreign Minister Georgios Kotsiras, Deputy Interior Minister Vivi Charalambogianni, and Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Thanos Petralias. The meeting focused on the challenges facing the ancient patriarchates.
The discussions culminated in the creation of 600 ordained positions. The General Secretary for Religious Affairs, Georgios Kalantzis, has been tasked with working with the Ministry of the Interior to prepare the legal framework to implement the government’s decision.
The ancient patriarchates number four (originally five, including the Vatican in Rome, which ceased to be in full communion with the Eastern patriarchates after the schism of 1054): the Ecumenical Patriarchate, or Patriarchate of Constantinople; the Patriarchate of Alexandria; the Patriarchate of Jerusalem; and the Patriarchate of Antioch, now based in Damascus, Syria, which is also to be included in the government’s decision.
However, as an elderly Metropolitan of the Patriarchate of Alexandria once remarked, “Until we see the law published in the government gazette, nothing is certain.
Republished by newspaper “Kathimerini” / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas and Ioanna Georgakopoulou
