Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, attended the Holy Synod on Monday, and met with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens.
During the meeting, Mitsotakis stressed the need for public health measures to be adhered to at Orthodox Christmas services nationwide, and conveyed the importance of vaccination amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases in Greece.
Currently the faithful have to present a negative COVID-19 test before entering a church to attend services during the festive season.
The Synod also discussed more material questions, including the use of the Church’s estate to help those in need but to also facilitate the economic recovery of Greece.
The two men also discussed the modernisation of the legal framework regulating clerical staff. The Archbishop stressed that all new Church hirings are not permanent, apart from those regularly scheduled, and will not be a burden on the state budget.
At the start of the meeting, Mitsotakis was awarded the Holy Synod’s medal marking this year’s 200th anniversary of the start of the Greek Revolution.
Source: Ekathimerini.
