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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...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a message encouraging Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, Pope Benedict XVI sent his personal wishes for the speedy recovery of Greek Orthodox Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, who was awaiting a liver transplant in Miami. The pope said Sept. 17 that he wanted to send a "truly special" fraternal greeting to Archbishop Christodoulos, "wishing him the full recovery of health, so that he can resume as soon as possible his pastoral service." "I assure my prayers for this intention," he added. Archbishop Christodoulos, 68, has been an important Orthodox dialogue partner for the Vatican. In June, he had surgery...

Pope Benedict XVI met on Thursday with Archbishop Christodoulos, head of the Orthodox Church of Greece, for talks on relations between the two churches.Christodoulos arrived late Wednesday for a four-day visit. It is his first visit to the Vatican since he attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005.Relations between Orthodox and Catholic churches have improved significantly in recent years, although they remain divided by long-standing questions of doctrine.Calls for greater dialogue were strengthened when Benedict visited Turkey from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 and met with Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's...

The head of the powerful Orthodox Church of Greece will meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican next month, a historic journey marking the first official visit ever by a Greek church leader.A statement by the Church of Greece's governing body, the Holy Synod, said the Dec. 14 visit by Archbishop Christodoulos follows an invitation by the pope."The Holy Synod expressed its joy that this visit will be carried out," the Synod said. "Its fruits will be positive."It will be the first official visit by a Greek church leader to the Vatican, with which the eastern Orthodox church —...

Sunday, October 10, 2004 (Updated 4:46 P.M.) Greek Orthodox leader postpones Vatican trip after Holy Synod's objections? 2004/10/9 ATHENS, Greece (AP) The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church postponed a planned visit to the Vatican after a majority of senior clerics in its governing body voted against the trip, the church said Saturday. Archbishop Christodoulos was seeking formal approval from the Holy Synod before moving ahead with plans to meet Pope John Paul II in a visit meant to reciprocate the pontiff's groundbreaking pilgrimage to Greece in 2001. The proposed trip had angered conservative factions in the Greek Orthodox Church,...