Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Ieronymos II said the property of the Church of Greece does not belong to the state and is not for sale.
The Archbishop spoke to the Panthessalian Pastoral Assembly and underlined that, “The property is ours, it does not belong to the state, it is not for sale, and will not be mortgaged.”
Ieronymos was referring to the privatizations the Greek government has agreed to implement as part of the bailout agreement. He also referred to recent talks about the salaries of clergymen who get paid by the state, claiming that there are efforts to eliminate the public character of the church.
“We find ourselves at a juncture where we need clearly identifiable, distinct roles (between church and state)…we must reveal the corrosive work of those who promote this ideological platform and hold them accountable,” Ieronymos said. “The Church has always existed and will continue to exist to serve man,” he stated.
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