This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7212502.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Greek Orthodox church head dies | Greek Orthodox church head dies |
| (1 day later) | |
| The head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos, has died, aged 69, after suffering from cancer. | The head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos, has died, aged 69, after suffering from cancer. |
| An attempted liver transplant in 2007 was unsuccessful, and the archbishop had grown steadily weaker recently. | An attempted liver transplant in 2007 was unsuccessful, and the archbishop had grown steadily weaker recently. |
| Archbishop Christodoulos was a colourful and controversial figure, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Greece says. | Archbishop Christodoulos was a colourful and controversial figure, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Greece says. |
| He defended the church's pre-eminent role in the state and upheld Hellenism - the national character and culture of Greece, our correspondent says. | He defended the church's pre-eminent role in the state and upheld Hellenism - the national character and culture of Greece, our correspondent says. |
| But critics say that under Archbishop Christodoulos, Greece remained a country which discriminates against those who are not Orthodox, including Catholics and worshippers of other branches of Christianity. | But critics say that under Archbishop Christodoulos, Greece remained a country which discriminates against those who are not Orthodox, including Catholics and worshippers of other branches of Christianity. |
| 'Lost will to live' | 'Lost will to live' |
| The archbishop of Athens and all Greece died at his Athens home early on Monday, church officials said. | |
| They [the government] are trying to take away our society's Christian and Orthodox identity... because they hate God Archbishop Christodoulos | They [the government] are trying to take away our society's Christian and Orthodox identity... because they hate God Archbishop Christodoulos |
| They said he had refused hospital treatment in the final weeks of his life. | They said he had refused hospital treatment in the final weeks of his life. |
| "He lost the will to live", deciding to "give up his soul", Bishop Anthimos of Salonika told Greece's state television NET. | "He lost the will to live", deciding to "give up his soul", Bishop Anthimos of Salonika told Greece's state television NET. |
| Archbishop Christodoulos was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and large intestine in 2007. He was then treated in the US for 10 weeks, but a liver transplant operation last October was aborted as the cancer had spread. | Archbishop Christodoulos was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and large intestine in 2007. He was then treated in the US for 10 weeks, but a liver transplant operation last October was aborted as the cancer had spread. |
| Senior Greek Orthodox clergy began arriving at the archbishop's home soon after his death was announced. | Senior Greek Orthodox clergy began arriving at the archbishop's home soon after his death was announced. |
| The archbishop's flag-draped coffin was later taken to Athens' cathedral, where his body will lie in state until the funeral on Thursday. | The archbishop's flag-draped coffin was later taken to Athens' cathedral, where his body will lie in state until the funeral on Thursday. |
| A four-day period of mourning has been declared in Greece. | A four-day period of mourning has been declared in Greece. |
| Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis paid tribute to the archbishop, describing him as "an enlightened hierarch whose pastoral work brought the church near the society and contemporary problems". | Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis paid tribute to the archbishop, describing him as "an enlightened hierarch whose pastoral work brought the church near the society and contemporary problems". |
| The Holy Synod, the church's top decision-making body, will hold a meeting later on Monday. It has 20 days in which to elect the archbishop's successor. | The Holy Synod, the church's top decision-making body, will hold a meeting later on Monday. It has 20 days in which to elect the archbishop's successor. |
| Controversial remarks | Controversial remarks |
| Elected as church leader in 1998, Archbishop Christodoulos was known as a fierce and outspoken defender of Greece and the role of the Orthodox Church within it, our correspondent says. | Elected as church leader in 1998, Archbishop Christodoulos was known as a fierce and outspoken defender of Greece and the role of the Orthodox Church within it, our correspondent says. |
| Archbishop Christodoulos paid a historic visit to the Vatican in 2006 | Archbishop Christodoulos paid a historic visit to the Vatican in 2006 |
| The archbishop once said that when ancient Greeks were creating the lights of civilisation, Europeans were living in trees. | The archbishop once said that when ancient Greeks were creating the lights of civilisation, Europeans were living in trees. |
| He said Greeks lived in paradise compared to other Europeans because they had a strong faith, built churches, followed traditions and resisted globalisation. | He said Greeks lived in paradise compared to other Europeans because they had a strong faith, built churches, followed traditions and resisted globalisation. |
| Archbishop Christodoulos opposed Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, describing the Turks as barbarians, our correspondent says. | Archbishop Christodoulos opposed Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, describing the Turks as barbarians, our correspondent says. |
| The archbishop clashed with the Greek government when the authorities wanted to remove religious status from identity cards. | The archbishop clashed with the Greek government when the authorities wanted to remove religious status from identity cards. |
| "They are trying to take away our society's Christian and Orthodox identity, using various groundless arguments, because they hate God and want to marginalise the Church," he said. | "They are trying to take away our society's Christian and Orthodox identity, using various groundless arguments, because they hate God and want to marginalise the Church," he said. |
| He said it was a part of a plan to separate church and state, dreamed up by neo-intellectuals who wanted to attack Orthodoxy and tear at its flesh. | He said it was a part of a plan to separate church and state, dreamed up by neo-intellectuals who wanted to attack Orthodoxy and tear at its flesh. |
| Vatican talks | Vatican talks |
| In 2001, the archbishop incurred the wrath of ultra Orthodox believers when he met the late Pope John Paul II in Greece. | In 2001, the archbishop incurred the wrath of ultra Orthodox believers when he met the late Pope John Paul II in Greece. |
| In 2006, he met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, as part of efforts to bring the two churches together - the first such talks between Greece's most senior cleric and the leader of the world's Roman Catholics. | In 2006, he met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, as part of efforts to bring the two churches together - the first such talks between Greece's most senior cleric and the leader of the world's Roman Catholics. |
| Their meeting focused on attempts to end the Great Schism that dates from 1054. | Their meeting focused on attempts to end the Great Schism that dates from 1054. |
| The Greek Orthodox Church is an autocephalous, or ecclesiastically independent, branch of the Eastern Orthodox Communion, covering the territory of Greece. | The Greek Orthodox Church is an autocephalous, or ecclesiastically independent, branch of the Eastern Orthodox Communion, covering the territory of Greece. |