Why does the Orthodox Church play an important role in Greece?

The Orthodox Church holds a significant place in Greece due to its historical role as a primary guardian of Greek identity and its status as the established church of the nation.1

During the period of Ottoman rule, the church served as the central institution for the Greek population. By utilizing the Greek language in its liturgy and maintaining modest educational efforts, it helped preserve a sense of national identity when no other independent Greek institutions existed. Under the Ottoman millet system, the church hierarchy was granted civil authority, with the ecumenical patriarch acting as the leader of the Christian community, further embedding the church into the social and political fabric of the people.23

Following the Greek War of Independence, the Church of Greece was declared autocephalous in 1833 to ensure ecclesiastical independence from potential foreign influence. Today, Orthodoxy remains a powerful popular religion in Greece, continuing to influence the country's cultural and social life despite the challenges of navigating a modern, secularized world.1