The creation of 600 organic positions for priests of the Diaspora is a long-standing demand of the Diaspora, which is expected to be met immediately. To date, a large part of the clergy abroad have no regular salary, insurance or pension, but are supported by the Church of Greece and the Patriarchates or local Greek Orthodox communities purely in terms of day to day survival.

The planning by the government’s presidency in cooperation with the ministries of Education and Interior has already been completed, with the passing of the special legislation expected within the first quarter of 2025.

At the same time, with this move, the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is shuffling the religious geopolitical deck, at a time when, on the one hand, Moscow is displaying expansionist tendencies in Africa, and on the other hand, after the recent overthrow of the regime in Syria and the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the Christian communities in the Middle East are becoming particularly vulnerable. By deploying hundreds of clergy in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, and by strengthening diplomatic efforts to protect Greek Orthodox Christians in Syria, Greece is shielding Orthodoxy in the aforementioned regions.

The circles of the hierarchs received with great satisfaction the news of the creation of 600 organic positions of priests for the Greek Orthodox Church, as it was a long-standing request on their part. The enactment of the special legislation, which is expected within the first quarter of 2025, was planned by the government presidency in cooperation with the ministries of education and interior. If passed, it is planned to recruit 50-70 clerics per year until the total of 600 positions are filled.

Church circles point out the importance of the upcoming regulation, as it is an essential support to the Presbyterian Patriarchates and to the Greek Orthodox church communities in the world. “It’s not just the liturgy, baptism or marriage – the Church in the communities of the Greek Orthodox Church plays a different role. It is where children learn the Greek language, it is the link with the homeland,” they stress.

Greece’s role in strengthening Orthodox communities abroad

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis assumes a substantial role in the religious geopolitical world. In the face of Russia’s expansionist tendencies in Africa, which are taking place at a rapid pace, and the new reality that has emerged in the Middle East after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the conditions for Greek Orthodox Christians in these regions are becoming particularly difficult. The dispatch of 600 priests to the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, as well as the intensification of diplomatic efforts for the protection of Christians in Syria, demonstrate the sensitive reflexes of the Greek government regarding the immediate response to the situation.

In particular, although the total number of priests to be appointed in Africa will not be particularly high, this decision is still a move of strong symbolism for Greece, with a purely political content. At the same time, our country’s desire to ensure the preservation of the Greek identity and Orthodox traditions against the efforts of ‘Russification’ of our communities on the African continent becomes clear.

The Moscow and Constantinople Dipole

Greece’s mobilization to strengthen the churches of the Diaspora by appointing a few hundred priests comes at a time when the ‘tug-of-war’ between Moscow and the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the domination of the Orthodox Churches seems to be coming to a head.

The point in time that triggered these developments was in 2018-19, with the recognition of the Autocephalous Ukrainian Church by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who then responded to the calls of the Ukrainian people for their Church to become independent from the Russians.

Since the Russian Orthodox Church had tried in vain to impose itself on Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and coupled with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the changes in its ecclesiastical policy came as no surprise.

Russia’s aggressive policy towards the Ecumenical Patriarchate and anyone who agrees with it, began with an attempt to hurt the Church of Greece itself, creating a rift within its ranks “through church websites, which are over 90% pro-Russian and far-right, and through Russian propaganda, which was channeled to a number of monasteries on Mount Athos,” according to secure sources.

Critical at the time was the role of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos, who instead of raising the issue of recognizing the Ukrainian Church’s Autocephaly, said that the granting of Autocephaly is the exclusive prerogative of the Patriarch of Constantinople, while he noted that he was referring to Kiev’s Epiphanius of Kiev. When the issue was raised in the Hierarchy, among the 82 participants in the Synod, three Metropolitans disagreed: the Metropolitan of Kythera, the Metropolitan of Corfu and the Metropolitan of Messogaia. Since then, and thanks to the delicate handling of Mr.Ieronymos, the issue has been settled within Greece and the unity of the Church of Greece has ceased to be threatened.

Another important parameter, which prepared the ground for the recent decision regarding the legislative regulation of the organic positions of priests abroad, was the resolution by the current government in 2022 of a similar issue of organic positions for clergy within our country.

More specifically, until then, clergy in Greece, although paid, had no organic positions. In fact, the leadership of the Ministry of Education of the previous government had threatened the Church that it would stop paying those priests who did not have an organic position, i.e. 6,000 people. Since the political staff of the country became aware that the salary, pension and insurance rights of the clergy in Greece cannot be questioned, the issue was closed with the passing of the relevant law in Parliament.

Since both the issue of balance within the Church of Greece and the issue of the institutionalization of the organic positions for the priests of our country’s interior have been resolved, the way is now open for the discussion on the priests of the Diaspora.

Russia’s attempts to impose itself on Africa’s Orthodox communities

Russia’s expansionist moves in Africa were another factor in ‘accelerating’ moves on the part of Greece. In just the last three years and since the establishment of the Russian Exarchate in Africa, Moscow has sent some 250 priests, covering 300 local communities in more than 30 African countries.

The intensification in the effort to assert its presence in Africa came as a result of the recognition of the Ukrainian Church’s autocephaly by the Patriarchate of Alexandria in 2019. This move was a surprise – indeed, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Theodore II, has studied in Russia and was thought by many to be favourably disposed towards it. He made it clear, however, that the reason for the recognition was deeply ecclesiological.

Following the recognition of the Autocephaly of Ukraine by the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Russians, in violation of the basic principle of the Orthodox that one does not establish Churches in the territories of the other, established their own Exarchate in Egypt. In addition, the Russian Church has offered particularly tempting financial incentives to the clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in order to attract them – there is talk of monthly bonuses of $1,000 compared to the $200 they receive on a monthly basis, and even, in some cases, combining the money with diplomatic privileges.

There are many ‘unappointed’ foreign priests today – in the Patriarchate of Alexandria alone there are more than 50.

People who have dedicated their entire lives to ministering in even the most isolated church communities abroad, when they return home, they have nothing – “they are ‘unplugged'”, as they say.
Indeed, most of the clergy – especially in the Presbyterian Patriarchates – have no regular salary or pension and, of course, no insurance. Their livelihood depends on the church or monastery in which they serve while they may be supported in part by the Patriarchate or the Church of Greece. An exception is made for those in America or – to a considerable extent – Australia, as these are economically prosperous areas.

Taking note of the new data and taking the decision not to remain indifferent to the defense of the Patriarchates, Greece is today launching the recruitment of 600 salaried clerical positions in the historical centers of Christianity, a move which will also serve as a ‘dike’ against Moscow’s expansionism.
It should be noted, however, that the 600 new organic positions that the new legislation will bring does not correspond to an equal number of ‘orphan’ positions, since part of them – about 150-180 – have already been occupied, but without practically guaranteeing priests salaries, pensions or security.

“Metropolises have always helped priests abroad but not all of them have had the same comfort,” Church of Greece circles say, giving as an example the cases of priests from Greece who were on secondment for a church of the diaspora, where the community tried to contribute with its own resources to cover the priest’s survival needs, especially in cases where the cost of living was higher in the country the cleric was going to.

It should also be recalled that until now, in the communities abroad, the needs have been covered by the organic staff of the Greek metropolises, which, in turn, are deprived of these positions within their own communities. “The problem has been felt mainly since the period of the economic crisis, when the ‘five leave, one is hired’ scheme was established, with the result that the needs accumulated.

Under the new arrangement, the paid organic posts, which were occupied by clergy posted abroad, will be released, forming a new distinct ‘pool’, a different category of posts. Apart from the security they will receive, the Church of Greece is ‘relieved’, since it will no longer lack priests to send abroad,” church sources said, adding: “Today, in the Church of Greece, the Church of Crete and the Metropolises of the Dodecanese, a total of about 180 positions are available each year. Each Metropolis gets one or two places and the border regions, they get 4 places. Often, some Metropolises, which do not have an immediate need for certain posts, make them available either for the posting of a clergyman or to another Metropolis on the border that is in need – that is, internal movements take place. The new regulation will make it easier for the decision-makers of the hierarchy to know exactly how many paid, organic positions they have, so that they can allocate them to their clergy, according to the existing needs.”

What it means for Greece to strengthen communities abroad with priests

‘Weighing’ all the parameters, the government has shown determination in resolving such an important issue. It is also important to mention that Greece does not make any distinction between the Patriarchates but expresses its institutional support to all the Presbyterian Patriarchates and the Holy Monastery of Sinai.

In this way, it demonstrates in practice that it does not wish to go down the path of ‘political use’ of religion, as would happen if, for example, it excluded the Patriarchate of Antioch because it does not recognize the Ukrainian Autocephaly. Indeed, it is worth pointing out that the Greek prime minister was the first European leader to meet with Patriarch John I of Antioch immediately after the capture of Damascus by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels and maintained constant lines of communication with the Patriarchate as the group’s advance progressed.

Regarding the benefit, if the legislation for priests abroad is passed, they are effectively restored and through the certainty and security they will receive, morale will be kept high, especially for those who minister in communities abroad under adverse conditions. At the same time, the whole of the Greek Orthodox Church is shielded. In any case, although it is not yet clear how much of a positive impact Greece’s decision to support the churches of the Diaspora will have, it certainly highlights our country’s intentions to intensify its presence throughout the Orthodox world.