A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 7 Number 11 - Tuesday, March 15th, 2005 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian Laity
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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ATHENS (AP)--Greece's embattled Orthodox Church leader led nationwide prayers late Tuesday for an end to sex-and-corruption scandals facing his bishops -but just 250 worshippers turned up to attend his service at Athens Cathedral. Archbishop Christodoulos had called on churchgoers and clergymen to pray to "cure the disease" of scandals that have shaken the foundation of Greece's official church. Night-long vigils were planned across Greece, but it wasn't immediately clear how many people attended church services elsewhere in the country or whether plans for a second prayer vigil Wednesday night would be kept. A poor turnout would be a setback for the 66-year-old church leader, who has rejected calls to resign after scandals dragged down several senior clergymen. Two metropolitan bishops have been suspended and two lower-ranking priests remain in prison custody after being arrested on antiquity-theft charges. A clergyman was expelled for allegedly engaging in sexual activities with other men, and another priest suspended following pedophilia allegations. Church and state officials are also investigating 10 more clergymen, including 91-year-old Metropolitan Bishop Stephanos of Trifles over photos published in an Athens daily, allegedly showing him naked in bed with a young woman. The Church's governing Holy Synod, which last month passed broad reforms to make the church more financially accountable, on Tuesday lashed out at critics who have called for full separation between church and state. "This is just a tactful way of marginalizing the church," a statement said. In apparent criticism of the government, it added: "They want to make civil weddings compulsory ... and legalize same-sex 'couples.' Suddenly, church land is in question, and now all this? Is it a coincidence?" Some worshippers at the vigil agreed. "The church doesn't have problems ... It's all politics," said one elderly woman, who asked not to be identified. Christodoulos' popularity has suffered as a result of the daily allegations. Greece's Left Coalition, a small opposition party with six seats in the 300-member parliament, announced Tuesday it will stage a walkout of parliament Saturday in protest at the scandals when Christodoulos swears in Greece's new president, Carolos Papoulias.
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