Greek Archbishop Christodoulos dies

The head of Greece's powerful Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos, died of cancer on Monday at the age of 69.

A staunch defender of the role of the church in Greece, he died at his home in Athens, only months after plans for a liver transplant in the United States were cancelled.

"He was an enlightened church leader whose work brought the church closer to society, closer to modern problems and to young people," Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said in a statement.

Condolences poured in and crowds of black-clad mourners gathered at his Athens home, where he died, as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral where his funeral will be held after a three-day wake.

"It is like I have lost my father," an elderly woman praying outside the church told Greek TV.

Christodoulos courted controversy from his first reformist days at the helm of the church through to a conservative U-turn that drove away many supporters.

"I am sad for the loss of the person even though I didn't agree with his policies," said Irini Politou, 32, an office clerk.

Christodoulos grudgingly agreed to a landmark visit by Pope John Paul to Greece in 2001 that marked a turning point in relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches since the Great Schism of 1054 that split Christianity.

Born Christos Paraskevaidis in northeastern Greece in 1939, he became the youngest head of the church when he was elected to the top post in 1998, following the death of his predecessor.

He stunned Greeks by calling on young people to return to the church "as you are, earrings and all," and cracking jokes during his weekly sermons, instantly raising his institution's popularity and profile.

But his laid-back approach soon gave way to a bitter feud with the then socialist government over new ID cards, which according to EU directives no longer listed a person's religion.

His frequent tirades against the EU and European culture, his reference to Turks as "barbarians," labeling gays as being "handicapped," and his growing public involvement in foreign policy issues chipped away at his popularity.

"The way he dealt with his disease and imminent death moved us, sending a unique message of courage and dignity," Greek President Karolos Papoulias said in a statement.

dangus: This is not the Patriarch, but he is the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece? [post #2]

NY: We’ll have to wait for the Orthodox to explain the situation

It's not simple! :)

Normally, an archbishop (metropolitan) is the head of an independent but not autocehphalous (self-headed) church. But that is way too simple! In the case of the Greek Church (Church of Greece), and the Orthodox Church of America (OCA), both are autocehphalous (the latter one is recognized as such by only the Russian Orthodox Church as far as I know).

They are both headed by a metropolitan and not a patriarch. In the case of OCA, it is because it is a relatively young Church with lots of Protestant converts and in need of developing more 'orthodox" mindset for the lack of abetter word (a PC term for "they are too Protestant" in their weltanschauung).

But, vis-a-vis their "mother churches" (MP, EPC) these Churches are both autonomous and independent, yet for specific reasons they do not have a patriarch in name only. Their metropolitans are "patriarchs" in everything but the title (they report to no one but their own synod).

A good example of independent but not autocehphalous church is the Orthodox Church of Japan, with its own metropolitan, jurisdictionally still reporting to the Patriarch of Moscow (PM). Another one is the Orthx. Church of Crete, headed by a metropolitan, yet jurisdictionally under the belonging to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (EPC) in Istanbul, Turkey. These churches are autonomous but not independent.

The Church of Greece is a relatively recent creation (1833) which the EPC agreed to recognize after some time (1850). I am not sure about the reason for this division (since the EPC is Greek, and the Church of was always the Greek Church) ; however, the decision was not Greek, but rather German.

The Greeks don't have their own royal line but rather German royalty, which is the case with Bulgarians and Romanians. Perhaps our Greek friends and brothers, Kolo and eleni21 can shed some light on why the German regent tore apart the EPC and created the church of Greece, and why now that the German kings are gone, the two Churches are not reunited.

The only Orthodox people who have native royal dynasties are the Serbs in Serbia (the Karadjordjevich dynasty), and in Montenegro (the Petrovich dynasty). The Russians have a mixed lineage (for example, Catherine the Great was German).

The result of this artificial creation of the 'second Greek Church' was that it would have been inappropriate to have two Greek patriarchs, especially since, jurisdictionally Greece is split between the Greek Church and the Church of Constantinople, with pockets of EPC's jurisdiction scattered all over Greece, and the islands (aka 'new lands').

Thus the Greek Orthx. Church in America (officially known as : the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, GOARCH) belongs jurisdictionally to EPC, and not to GM, but this was not always the case.

In 1908, for some reason, the jursidiction was given to AG, then again in 1922 it was taken back by the EPC! In 1996, the Episcopate was split into separated episcopates with one for Canada, the US, and Central America.

Since the 1990's, especially after the deposition of the EPC-appointed primate Iakovos in 1994, the relationship between GOARCH and EPC have soured to put it mildly. A large group of wealthy and influential Greek laity (Kolo would know them) have been very active in litigations and other forms of "mild arm twisting" with the aim of gaining greater autonomy, even perhaps independence from EPC. Thus one of the latest big litigations started in 2004 regarding the EPC-initiated changes in the GOARCH Charter.

The American-minded Greek Orthodox Laity are suspicious of EPC's "papal" aspirations, so one can honestly say that the resistance to Iakovos was nothing short of a Greek Orthodox Boston Tea Party!

This is only my observation: you can't have two kinds of Greek Orthodox. The national identity of the Orthodox believers is tied to the Mother-country. Since Constantinople is no longer par of Greece or Roman Empire, and since there are two Greek-speaking jurisdictions, only the Church of Greece can claim to be Greek Orthodox. The EPC can't. Since the EPC does not represent any one country and culture, it should be referred to simply as the Eastern Orthodox (Catholic) Church—in fact the "Catholic" name is part of all Eastern Orthodox Churches but is not used to avoid an already confusing nomenclature of various Apostolic Churches. Thus GOARCH should be simply EOARCH. But, again, that it just my opinion. :)

Keep in mind that these are simply ecclesial issues; the almost 2000-year-old Divine Liturgy remains unchanged. It's a miracle! :)

“But, did I understand correctly this much?: the Patriarch is that of Constantinople (EPC), but this Archbishop is that of the Church of Greece, which is a separate entity? Are most Greek citizens Church of Greece?”

The Church of Greece is completely independent of Constantinople. It owes its existence to the nationalism of the Greeks after the Greek War of Independence against the Turks. The Greeks quite rightly assumed that the Patriarch of Constantinople, being the Ethnarc of the Rum within the Ottoman system, was really not his own man and further was personally responsible for the actions of his flock to the Ottomans. Effectively speaking, the Ottomans could and usually did control the Patriarch (they still do to an extent). Given the predominent role of The Church, both then and now, in Greece, it was better that the Church in Greece be independent of Turkish influence. The same thing happened in Romania and Bulgaria. 97% of the population of Greece are Orthodox and members of the Church of Greece.

BTW, the term “Greek Orthodox” really has little or nothing to do with Greece. Rather, it refers to the fact that the Eastern Romans spoke Greek and their Liturgies were usually conducted in Greek. To this day in Lebanon and Syria and I think even in Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Iraq, identity cards list otherwise Egyptian, Jordanian etc people as “Greek Orthodox”.

Orthodox Ping Tone I Where is the pleasure in life which is unmixed with sorrow? Where the glory which on earth has stood firm and unchanged? All things are weaker than shadow, all more illusive than dreams; comes one fell stroke, and Death in turn, prevails over all these vanities. Wherefore in the Light, O Christ, of Your countenance, the sweetness of Your beauty, to him whom You have chosen grant repose, for You are the Friend of Mankind. Tone 2 Like a blossom that wastes away, and like a dream that passes and is gone, so is every mortal into dust resolved; but again, when the trumpet sounds its call, as though at a quaking of the earth, all the dead shall arise and go forth to meet You, O Christ our God: on that day, O Lord, for him whom You have withdrawn from among us appoint a place in the tentings of Your Saints‑yea, for the spirit of Your servant, O Christ. Another in Tone 2 Alas! What an agony the soul endures when from the body it is parting; how many are her tears for weeping, but there is none that will show compassion: unto the angels she turns with downcast eyes; useless are her supplications; and unto men she extends her imploring hands, but finds none to bring her rescue. Thus, my beloved brethren, let us all ponder well how brief is the span of our life; and peaceful rest for him that now is gone, let us ask of Christ, and also His abundant mercy for our souls. Tone 3 Vanity are all the works and quests of man, and they have no being after death has come; our wealth is with us no longer. How can our glory go with us? For when death has come all these things are vanished clean away. Wherefore to Christ the Immortal King let us cry, "To him that has departed grant repose where a home is prepared for all those whose hearts You have filled with gladness." Tone 4 Terror truly past compare is by the mystery of death inspired; now the soul and the body part, disjoined by resistless might, and their concord is broken; and the bond of nature which made them live and grow as one, now by the edict of God is rest in twain. Wherefore now we implore Your aid grant that Your servant now gone to rest where the just that are Yours abide, Life-bestower and Friend of Mankind. Tone 4 Where is now our affection for earthly things? Where is now the alluring pomp of transient questing? Where is now our gold, and our silver? Where is now the surging crowd of domestics, and their busy cries? All is dust, all is ashes, all is shadow. Wherefore draw near that we may cry to our immortal King, "Lord, Your everlasting blessings vouchsafe unto him that now has gone away. bringing him to repose in that blessedness which never grows old." Tone 5 I called to mind the Prophet who shouted, "I am but earth and ash." And once again I looked with attention on the tombs, and I saw the bones therein which of flesh were naked; and I said, "Which indeed is he that is king? Or which is soldier? Which is the wealthy, which the needy? Which the righteous, or which the sinner?" But to Your servant, O Lord, grant that with the righteous he may repose. Tone 6 My beginning and foundation was the form‑bestowing Word of Your commandment; for it pleased You to make me by compounding visible and invisible nature into a living thing. out of earth was my body formed and made, but a soul You gave me by the Divine and Life‑creating In‑breathing. Wherefore, O Christ, to Your servant in the land of the living, in the courts of the righteous, do You grant repose. Tone 7 Bring to his rest, O our Savior, You giver of life, our brother whom You have withdrawn from this transient world, for he lifts up his voice to cry: "Glory to You." Another in Tone 7 When in Your own image and likeness You in the beginning did create and fashion man, You gave him a home in Paradise, and made him the chief of your creation. But by the devil's envy, alas, beguiled to eat the fruit forbidden, transgressor then of Your commandments he became; wherefore back to earth, from which he first was taken, You did sentence him to return again, O Lord, and to pray You to give him rest. Weep, and with tears lament when with understanding I think on death, and see how in the graves there sleeps the beauty which once for us was fashioned in the image of God, but now is shapeless, ignoble, and bare of all the graces. O how strange a thing; what is this mystery which concerns us humans? Why were we given up to decay? And why to death united in wedlock? Truly, as it is written, these things come to pass by ordinance of God, Who to him now gone gives rest Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. The death which You have endured, O Lord, is become the harbinger of deathlessness; if You had not been laid in Your tomb, then would not the gates of Paradise have been opened;wherefore to him now gone from us give rest, for You are the Friend of Mankind. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Virgin chaste and holy, Gateway of the Word, Mother of our God, make supplication that his soul find mercy. O God of all spirits and flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your world, to the soul of Your servant Christodoulos departed this life, do You Yourself, O Lord, give rest in a place of light, in a place of green pasture, in a place of refreshment, from where pain and sorrow and mourning are fled away. Every sin by him committed in thought, word, or deed, do You as our good and loving God forgive, seeing that there is no man that shall live and sin not, for You alone are without sin; Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and Your law is truth. For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Your servant Christodoulos, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up Glory, as to Your Eternal Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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