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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1094
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC ALSO FOR MARIA GERMANO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KREL PHUM KIRF GR
SUBJECT: DEATH OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS AND ALL GREECE 
AND THE SUCCESSION PROCESS 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, 
Christodoulos, passed away at 0515 local time on Monday, 
January 28.  His funeral is expected to take place on 
Thursday, January 31 -- or possibly Friday, February 1.  The 
Archbishop played a social and political role, and his 
successor is expected to do likewise.  His death sets in 
motion a centuries-old process of burial and selection of his 
successor.  Following the funeral, the ruling body of the 
Greek Orthodox Church, the Permanent Holy Synod, will convene 
to select the next Archbishop in accord with both Greek 
Orthodox canon law and the Hellenic Republic's constitutional 
law.  We do not anticipate that any of his potential 
successors will lead the Church in different directions on 
key issues.  End summary. 
 
CHRISTODOULOS: A CONSERVATIVE MODERNIZER 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The Most Blessed Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens 
and All Greece died at his home this morning at 0515 local 
time from complications of cancer after nearly ten years as 
the senior prelate of the Orthodox Church of Greece.  He was 
¶69.  At his election in April 1998, when he was 59 years of 
age, Christodoulos was the youngest man ever chosen to serve 
as the senior Archbishop of Greece.  Hailed as an innovator, 
Christodoulos quickly set about modernizing the Church and 
making his voice heard on a host of social and political 
issues -- in sharp contrast to his apolitical predecessor 
Seraphim.  Christodoulos vehemently opposed the NATO campaign 
to liberate Kosovo; he opposed (unsuccessfully) efforts to 
remove religion from state identity cards and (successfully) 
opposed the placement of a new mosque for Athens near the 
international airport where he said visitors to Greece might 
be confused as to whether Greece was an Islamic or a 
Christian country.  Christodoulos also created the first 
Greek Orthodox Church Committee on Bioethics and launched new 
programs to treat a host of social ills including treatment 
for drug-addicts, support for single-mothers, abused women 
and immigrants, and care for victims of trafficking.  He 
established a chain of nurseries and infant schools as well 
as an NGO, Solidarity, which permitted the Greek Orthodox 
Church to intervene in humanitarian matters in the Middle 
East, Africa, Asia and in Eastern Europe.  He also sought 
improved relations with the Roman Catholic Church, hosting 
Pope John Paul II for an historic visit to Greece in 2001, 
the first visit of a pontiff to Greece in more than a 
thousand years.  Christodoulos reciprocated by visiting the 
Pope at the Vatican in 2006.  Both visits brought outcries 
from some ultra-traditionalist Orthodox believers. 
 
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Upon the Archbishop's death, a (literally) Byzantine 
process of preparing for his funeral and, thereafter, to 
select his predecessor begins immediately.  First is the 
preparation of the Archbishop's body followed by three days 
of official mourning, during which the Archbishop lies in 
state at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.  The 
Archbishop's remains have already been transferred to the 
Cathedral, and public viewing has begun.  On the fourth or 
fifth day after death, there is a funeral at the Cathedral 
and burial at the First Cemetery of Athens.  The Archbishop's 
funeral is expected to take place on Thursday, January 31, 
@gh it is possible that it could be on Friday, February 
¶1.  The funeral will likely be presided over by His All 
Holiness Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew I as was 
requested by Christodoulos. 
 
THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR A SUCCESSOR 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Because the Eastern Orthodox Church of Greece is "the 
prevailing" religion of the Hellenic Republic, there is a 
symbiotic relationship between it and the Greek state. 
Indeed, the procedure for electing a new Archbishop is 
codified in public law number 590/1977 and requires the 
presence of the Minister of Education and Religions during 
the otherwise secret election of a new Archbishop. 
 
¶5. (U) According to the succession law, upon the passing of 
the Archbishop, the senior Metropolitan (an exalted level of 
Bishop) becomes the Archbishop, ad interim, and takes command 
of the Permanent Holy Synod -- the ruling body of the Church 
of Greece.  The senior bishop is determined by calculating 
 
ATHENS 00000124  002 OF 002 
 
 
age and length of service.  At the direction of the 
Archbishop, a.i., the Permanent Holy Synod is convened within 
a maximum of five days after the death of the Archbishop. 
(NOTE: At present, the two most senior Metropolitans in 
Greece are of advanced age and seriously ill.  Therefore the 
role of senior Archbishop has been filled by Seraphim, 
Metropolitan of Karysteia, third in seniority.  End note.) 
The Permanent Holy Synod has been convened for January 28 at 
1400 local time. 
 
¶6. (U) The Permanent Holy Synod then makes preparations to 
convene the Plenary Session of the Holy Synod, comprised of 
all the Metropolitans of Greece.  The Plenary Session must be 
convened within twenty days of the death of the Archbishop. 
In order for the Plenary Session to elect a new Archbishop 
there must be a quorum present -- made up of two-thirds of 
the total number of Metropolitans.  There are approximately 
90 Metropolitans who will be eligible to vote for the 
successor to Christodoulos.  If there is no quorum present, 
the Synod re-convenes the next day and a quorum is assumed, 
irrespective of the actual number of Metropolitans present, 
and the election proceeds. 
 
THE ELECTION 
------------ 
 
¶7. (U) The election process begins with a special liturgy. 
Any voting member of the Synod may present his own name for 
election.  Voting then takes place before a committee made up 
of the three senior Metropolitans.  They, together with the 
Minister of Education and Religion, inspect the ballot box 
and place a seal upon it as prescribed by law.  The youngest 
Metropolitans vote first, and voting is done by secret 
ballot.  Each bishop writes the name of his chosen candidate 
on a piece of paper which is placed into an envelope and the 
envelope is placed into the ballot box.  The next Archbishop 
is determined by a simple majority.  If no clear winner is 
determined by the first round, two additional rounds are 
permitted.  However, if after the third round, no single 
candidate emerges as the winner, the Archbishop is selected 
by drawing lots.  No breaks or intermissions are permitted 
during this process. 
 
¶8. (U) The result of the election is communicated to the 
Ministry of Education and Religions in writing by the 
Permanent Holy Synod within five days of the election.  A 
Presidential Decree is then issued to recognize the new 
Archbishop who then declares before the President of the 
Republic, the Permanent Synod and the Minister of Education 
and Religions his vow to protect and defend the laws of the 
Church and the Constitution, and an enthronement liturgy 
follows. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (U) While the law sets forth specific maximum time periods 
for each of the steps in the selection process, generally 
things move very quickly.  By the fourth day after the death 
of the Archbishop, the funeral and burial should have already 
taken place.  Within another two to three weeks, the Plenary 
Session will be convened and a new Archbishop will be 
elected.  The results will be known immediately after the 
vote when the new Archbishop emerges from the building where 
the vote takes place (Ioannou Gennadiou -- the permanent seat 
of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece) and announces his 
election to the large crowd of gathered faithful and members 
of the press. 
 
¶10. (SBU) (Comment continued) At present, there are four or 
five main contenders for the position of the next Archbishop 
of Athens and All Greece.  They are from the dioceses of 
Thessaloniki, Spart, Attica, Volos and Zakynthos.  It is not 
known, however, how many candidates will ultimately engage in 
the election process as any bishop may nominate himself.  In 
any case, we deem it unlikely that the next Archbishop will 
lead the church in different directions on key issues.  End 
Comment. 
SPECKHARD