Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter
    • Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America
    • Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia
    • Assembly of Bishops Newsletter – Q1 2025
    • Opinion: The Theological School’s Experiments
    • New Icon of All Saints of North America to Debut at 21st All-American Council
    • IOTA Future Leaders Program
    • Reimagining Orthodox Campus Ministry
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
    • Home
    • OCL
      • About OCL
      • Leadership
      • OCL News
      • OCL Publications
      • Focused Study and Research Topics
      • OCL Archives at DePaul University
    • Orthodox News & Links
      • Orthodox News Stories
      • Headlines & News Archives
      • Governance & Unity
        • Governance Top Stories
        • Governance & Unity Essays
        • Grassroots Unity in Action
      • OCL Forums
      • Orthodox Christian Laity News
      • Web Links
    • Audio & Video
      • Audio Index
      • Video Index
    • Contact
    • Make a Donation
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    You are at:Home»Governance & Unity News»Governance & Unity Essays»Strife hidden under pontifical robes

    Strife hidden under pontifical robes

    0
    By Webmaster on October 12, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Telegram WhatsApp Copy Link

    Source: Hurriyet Daily News

    By ARIANA FERENTINOU

    “We have known you for years and we appreciate your devotion to the Mother Church. It needs the devotion and faithfulness of the ones who serve it, because it faces, especially these days, many problems and challenges and its privileges as the First Seated Church are being disputed and attacked passionately,” said His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew in a recent speech welcoming the appointment of a new bishop.

    It was his first public statement after he returned to Istanbul, from his bittersweet, week-long tour in Greece during which the ongoing crisis between the Autocephalous Church of Greece and the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate became even more apparent.

    According to the program, Patriarch Bartholomew—considered “primus inter pares” among all nine Patriarchs in the Orthodox Church—was to conclude his visit to Greece with a meeting with Archbishop Ieronymos II, the Head of the Autocephalous Church of Athens. But, in a highly undiplomatic manner, the meeting was canceled at the last moment by the Greek Primate for reasons of “work overload.”

    It was the latest episode in a long and shaky history between the two churches going back to the 19th century and the creation of the new independent nation state of Greece after it broke away from the Ottoman Empire. Soon, in 1850, the Orthodox Church included within the new borders was given its independence from the “Mother Church,” the Patriarchate in Istanbul in Fener, an ancient institution of the Byzantine Empire and later of the Ottomans. More churches in the Balkans followed, including Serbia, Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

    But relations between the Greek Church and Fener were complicated. The latter retained its authority on the Monastic State of Mount Athos and on several regions in Crete and the Dodecanese Islands. This overlapping ecclesiastical authority over areas belonging to the new independent Greek state gave birth to a low-intensity tension between the two churches that lasts to date.

    A crucial point of dispute is the issue of the “New Lands.”

    They are the lands that were attached to the Greek state in 1929, after the Balkan wars, i.e. Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace and the Dodecanese. These 35 ecclesiastical regions were ceded by the Istanbul Patriarchate to the Church of Greece but Fener retained its right for spiritual and doctrinal guidance, which included a say in the appointments of the senior ecclesiastical hierarchy.

    The relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate under Bartholomew II and the Greek Church have had many ups and downs where the issue of who has full control of the New Lands being one of the main reasons.

    In spite of its initial leftist rhetoric asking for a complete separation of Church from the State, the Syriza government has softened its tone and appears to have come to a compromise leaving the Church and its estate to their own devices. After all, the Greek Church played a useful social role, which helped the government during the worst days of economic crisis in Greece.

    According to Greek media, the Tsipras government intends to launch procedures for a new “more progressive” constitution very soon. Among the fields of proposed change will be the relationship between church and state. Greek sources claim the Greek government, unlike its original proclamations to break ties with the church, will recognize the historic role of the Greek Orthodox Church as a dominant doctrine, i.e. keeping the church as an ally rather than an opponent.

    Archbishop Ieronymos did not hide his real feelings when he spoke after the cancelation of his meeting with Patriarch Bartholmew. “We love our Patriarch, we love the patriarchate, we respect it, we support it. We love the prime minister and all the politicians. But most of all we love the Church and the motherland.”

    Let us see what the next episode of this intriguing story will bring.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp Copy Link
    Previous ArticleAnnouncement by the Ecumenical Patriarchate Regarding the Church of Ukraine
    Next Article Constantinople wants to break the spine of Orthodoxy

    Related Posts

    July 8, 20251 Min Read

    Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter

    July 5, 20251 Min Read

    Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America

    July 5, 20259 Mins Read

    Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Register for OCL's Annual Conference - October 11, 2025

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Enter the Slogan Contest

    Share this page
    DISCLAIMER

    All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    Stay Informed!

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT!

    Your donation impacts and helps advance the unity of the Orthodox Church of America.

    DONATE NOW

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

    Upcoming Events
    Jul 16
    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT

    John Zizioulas’s “Remembering the Future” (Virtual)

    View Calendar
    Recent Comments
    • Lou Gaviras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • pERRY tORMAS on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Perry Tormas on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Myron Kaleras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • Levantios on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jerry Maras on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • John on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jupiter's Son on Leading Liturgists Reaffirm the Ordination of Women to the Diaconate
    • Timothy Mulligan on Ethno-Phyletism: A Problem for the American Church
    • Angela Skinner on Orthodox Christian Unity in America – Papers in Support (New: See Paper No. 5)
    OCL Archives Online
    Project for Orthodox Renewal
    renewal-resize
    OCL Digital Newsletter

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    MAKE A DONATION

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Facebook
    Twitter
    YouTube

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2023 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2025 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.