File photo. [InTime News]
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Archbishop Ieronymos met at the Maximos Mansion in Athens to discuss deepening ties between the state and the Church, focusing on utilizing Church properties to address Greece’s housing crisis for the development of student dormitories and housing for young couples.
It is estimated that the Hierarchy owns nearly 900 properties available for utilization.
Students would receive free accommodation, while couples could pay nominal fees or nothing at all.
A joint committee of experts will be established to oversee the initiative, with progress expected by 2025.
Mitsotakis assured Ieronymos that the upcoming constitutional revisions would not include separation of Church and state, signaling a commitment to cooperative engagement.
Discussions also revisited the vast Church landholdings, spanning 130,000 hectares, including grazing lands, forests, farmland, and prime coastal properties. The estates have drawn governmental interest for their economic and social potential.
The meeting also highlighted efforts to mend strained relations following tensions over same-sex marriage legislation.
Their renewed collaboration was evident in Ieronymos praising the government’s “My Home II” program.
The two leaders will travel together to Tirana for the funeral of Archbishop Anastasios, continuing their rapprochement after informal meetings, including an April 2024 tour of elderly care facilities.
Their dialogue underlines a historic shift in Church-state relations aimed at mutual benefit and long-term societal impact.