What happened between the Church of Greece and the Patriarchate

    


Did you know that a Bishop is not allowed to visit another Diocese without the permission of the local Bishop? That is how it is. It is one of the administrative regulations of the Autocephalous Church of Greece.

The Church of Greece emerged from the War of Independence of 1821. At the start of the national revolution the Church was trapped. The Patriarch of Constantinople had to protect the clergy and the people.

The priests also paid a heavy blood tax, from Patriarch Gregory V to Papaflessas and Athanasios Diakos... But that did not stop them quarreling.

As soon  as the modern Greek state was established the first discords in the Church emerged. Eventually we concluded on the so-coaled synod administrative system, with the local Bishop being the supreme ecclesiastic leader. The so-called New Lands were excluded from the agreement regarding the Autocephalous status of the Church and which were later annexed to the Greek state.

According to the Patriarchate, the Patriarch has the spiritual supervision of the New Lands (Macedonia, Epirus, Crete, Dodedcanese, etc...) as well as the authority to appoint Bishops, just like in all the Ecumenical Patriarchates' provinces outside of Greece.

What happened and has tainted the relationship between the Church of Greece and the Patriarchate?
The upcoming election of new Bishops is the excuse. Not finding a clear solution is the cause.

The vacant seat in the Metropolis of Ioannina, being the wealthiest in the country, must unite the Church and entertain the underground rumors of illicit interests. The entirety of our Church is traveling in a single boat.