Religious Diplomacy

Greece maintains strong spiritual and cultural ties with the Greek Orthodox Ancient Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, while attaching particular importance in highlighting the high prestige and international prominence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, supporting its pivotal spiritual mission by every appropriate means. Furthermore, it maintains historical ties with the New Patriarchates and the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, supporting their actions and initiatives in matters of inter-doctrinal and inter-religious dialogue, the protection of religious freedom and the right to worship, as well as the preservation and promotion of religious cultural heritage. Greece also supports the work of the Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai, the oldest Christian monastic foundation in the world, which serves as an ark of incomparable ecclesiastical and artistic treasures, situated in a living place of worship respected by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs monitors the activities of the World Council of Churches, the relations among the Orthodox Churches, as well as the relations of Orthodoxy with other Christian Churches, with which it maintains close communication. Beyond its ecclesiological significance, intra-Christian dialogue has led to more targeted cooperation among the Churches, for the defense of Christian, as well as universal values and rights. The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church in Crete (June 16-27, 2016) dealt extensively with the progress of pan-Orthodox dialogue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed decisively by establishing a Special Committee to coordinate all public services throughout the preparation and duration of the Council.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs attaches particular importance to interreligious dialogue, which promotes respect for the rights of all religious communities, consolidates understanding between religions, and occupies a significant place within the framework of international relations, either independently or as an essential aspect of intercultural dialogue. Furthermore, it constitutes a high priority on the agenda of international organizations, within which Greece promotes the aforementioned dialogue and highlights the positive engagement of the Greek Orthodox Churches, as well as the respective initiatives of the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish institutions of the country.

Greece demonstrates particular interest in the Greek Orthodox Ancient Patriarchates of the Middle East and Africa and underlines, at every opportunity, its solidarity with the Christian communities in those regions. Our country has placed at the top of its priorities within the European Union, International Organizations, and the fora in which it participates, the issue of ensuring the protection of the rights of the Christian communities in the area, as well as all religious shrines and monuments. It expresses its deep concern regarding the escalation of violence in the Middle East, condemning acts of religious intolerance that aim to undermine not only the Christian element but also the peaceful coexistence of believers of all denominations.

Greece’s support, of course, is not limited to historical or spiritual references. Our country implements a series of programs including scholarships, educational and academic exchange visits, Greek language courses, and other facilitations. The most successful example of these initiatives is the expanded cooperation with the University of the Patriarchate of Antioch, in Balamand, Lebanon, spearheaded by the revival of the program for enhancing Greek language learning at the "Saint John of Damascus" Faculty of Theology. The program was launched during the 2022-2023 academic year and has shown steadily increasing momentum every year after.

Special mention should be made to Holy Mount Athos. The Athos peninsula constitutes the most significant monastic center of the Orthodox world, a living UNESCO World Heritage Site. High priorities of ecclesiastical diplomacy include highlighting the over-a-millenium-long history of the Monastic Community, as well as its unparalleled spiritual tradition and radiance.

Lastly, there is continuous cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Church of Greece in international activities, as well as on specific issues of ecclesiastical diplomacy and the promotion of pilgrimage tourism in our country.