Today, Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece continues its proceedings for the 168th Synodal Period. The Synod, which convened yesterday under the presidency of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, has made significant decisions to guide the Church’s activities moving forward.
Opening Session and Welcoming Remarks
The session opened with the customary Divine Liturgy, after which Archbishop Ieronymos warmly welcomed the new members of the Synod. He offered blessings and encouraged a spirit of love and cooperation among the clergy. Following the Archbishop’s address, the Vice-President of the Synod, Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios, also shared his thoughts with the assembly.
Appointments to Key Synodical Committees
Several key appointments were made during this session, establishing various Synodical Councils. Notable appointments included:
- Chief Secretariat: Metropolitan Ierotheos of Lemnos and Agios Efstratios
- Ecclesiastical Art and Music: Metropolitan Dorotheos of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, Milos, Delos, and Mykonos
- Divine Worship and Pastoral Work: Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus
- Dogmatic and Canonical Issues: Metropolitan Athanasios of Sisani and Siatista
- Monastic Life: Metropolitan David of Grevena
- Christian Education of Youth: Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria
- Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations: Metropolitan Daniel of Kaisariani, Vyronas, and Ymittos
- Ecclesiastical Education and Clergy Training: Metropolitan Ephraim of Hydra, Spetses, and Aegina
- Press, Public Relations, and Enlightenment: Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios
- Heresies: Metropolitan Stefanos of Philippi, Neapolis, and Thassos
- Social Welfare: Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros
- Finance: Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki
Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios was appointed as the official Spokesman of the Synod.
Scholarship Awards Ceremony
After the session, a special ceremony took place in the Great Synodikon Hall. Scholarships were awarded to 56 Greek students pursuing postgraduate and doctoral studies abroad, along with 94 students from sister Orthodox Churches studying in Greece. The Church of Greece will distribute a total of €660,000 in scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year.
