I am not in a position to know when the next national elections will take place. It is the Prime Minister who has the power to decide. What I do know is how important postal voting will be for the next elections. The issue is not only numerical—it is also symbolic regarding whom those who are currently far from the country will choose to vote for. In whom will they invest politically for the future of Greece, so that they—or their children—may one day return?
All political parties are now investing in the Greek diaspora. For this reason, the Greek Parliament, by a large majority, granted Greeks living abroad the right to participate in national elections.
In the next elections, expected in the spring of 2027 barring unforeseen developments, approximately 100,000 new voters from the Greek diaspora are estimated to take part. This development—let us not deceive ourselves—gives the Greek Orthodox Church significant potential influence. Parishes in the United States, Australia, and even Germany, as well as in all the jurisdictions of the Ecumenical Throne, will have a political role.
After all, parishes abroad do not have only a religious dimension. They are centers that bring together Greek identity, Christian faith, and maintain strong ties with the homeland. With the decision of Parliament, the Church emerges as a particularly reliable link connecting the Greek community with the “motherland.” This is something that should be recognized and respected both by the Church and by the State.
Other priorities
The two previous U.S. ambassadors to Athens had close relations with the Church of Greece. Jeffrey Pyatt had shown strong interest in church affairs already during his tenure in Kyiv, something he continued after arriving in Athens. He did not merely know “what was happening” in a general sense—he knew the people and the issues and spoke directly with them.
His successor, George Tsunis, drawing also on his Greek heritage and being an Orthodox Christian, showed great respect for the Church of Greece and maintained close ties with it, frequently visiting the Archbishop, various Metropolitans, and Mount Athos.
With Kimberly Guilfoyle, however, things seem to be changing—at least for the time being—in terms of the strategy followed by the United States in our country, and understandably so. Who could fail to understand the new ambassador’s focus on energy issues and geopolitical balances, given all the conflicts taking place around us? And why would Kimberly Guilfoyle show particular interest at this moment in ecclesiastical affairs?
For now, the American ambassador appears to have other priorities beyond church matters. It will be up to the hierarchs to convince her that it is worth turning her attention to ecclesiastical issues as well.
“Melchizedek”
Republished from the newspaper “Orthodox Truth”
