The Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew, the spiritual guide of the Orthodox Church made a speech on the occasion of his 20th anniversary of election and enthronement as Patriarch
In a declaration, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual guide of the Orthodox Church, said the Greek Church needs to work with the Athenian government to help the country come out of the current economic crisis.
The Patriarch’s appeal comes amidst an increasingly tense social climate: tomorrow a new general strike is expected to take place throughout Athens’ public transport, as negotiations between the government and the troika of creditors (FMI, World Bank and EU) are underway, to release the new batch of financial aid to Greece.
The Greek Church, which is not separated from the State and benefits from significant financial resources, particularly real estate property, has often come under attack for not contributing enough to public revenue.
The spotlight has fallen on churches and monasteries that have been exempted from the recent property tax levied across the Country.
It is a good sign for the government of Greece that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has declared that the Greek Church needs to work with the Athenian government to help Greece come out of its current economic crisis.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Patriarch Bartholomew needs to be specific on how the Greek Church can help the government. For example, requiring the church to pay an annual tax on the property it owns in Greece -- beginning with the year 2011 -- might prove to be a significant asset in improving Greece's faltering economy.
'the Greek Church needs to work with the Athenian government to help the country come out of the current economic crisis.'
ReplyDeleteHow about a tax on beards?