The Church of Crete ( el, Εκκλησία της Κρήτης) is an
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
church, comprising the island of
Crete in
Greece. The Church of Crete is semi-
autonomous (self-governing) under the jurisdiction of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...
.The current archbishop of Crete is Eugenios II.
Overview
The Church of Crete has been self-governing since late
Ottoman times. The charter of the church was recognized by law (Law 4149/1961) by the Greek state in 1961,
some 50 years after the island's incorporation into Greece. In 1962, the Ecumenical Patriarchate elevated the island's bishoprics to
metropolises
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big ci ...
, and in 1967, the Metropolitan of Crete was promoted to Archbishop. The patriarchate nominates the island's presiding bishop from a list of three Cretan bishops prepared by the Greek
Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs
The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs ( el, Υπουργείο Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων; Υ.ΠΑΙ.Θ.) is a government department of Greece. One of the oldest ministries, established in 1833, it is responsible ...
, but the church's affairs, including the nomination of the other bishops, are otherwise handled by the Holy Provincial Synod of Crete. The link with the Patriarchate ensures less opposition to ecumenism than generally expressed in the mainland
Church of Greece
The Church of Greece ( el, Ἐκκλησία τῆς Ἑλλάδος, Ekklēsía tē̂s Helládos, ), part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Its ...
.
The Church of Crete is composed of:
* the Archbishopric of Crete, based at
Heraklion
* the Metropolis of
Gortyn
Gortyn, Gortys or Gortyna ( el, Γόρτυν, , or , ) is a municipality, and an archaeological site, on the Mediterranean island of Crete away from the island's capital, Heraklion. The seat of the municipality is the village Agioi Deka. Gortyn ...
and Arkadia, based at
Moires
Moires ( el, Μοίρες, "Fates") is a town and a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Faistos, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal u ...
* the Metropolis of
Rethymno and
Mylopotamos, based at Rethymno
* the Metropolis of
Kydonia and
Apokoronas
Apokoronas ( el, Αποκόρωνας) is a municipality and a former province (επαρχία) in the Chania regional unit, north-west Crete, Greece. It is situated on the north coast of Crete, to the east of Chania itself. The seat of the munici ...
, based at
Chania
* the Metropolis of
Lampi
Lampi ( el, Λάμπη) is a former municipality in the Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of the municipality Agios Vasileios, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an are ...
,
Syvritos
Sivritos ( el, Σίβριτος, also Σύβριτος - ''Syvritos'') is a former municipality in the Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Amari, of which it is a municipal ...
and
Sfakia, based at
Spili
Spili ( el, Σπήλι) is a village in Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is locat ...
* the Metropolis of
Hierapytna and
Siteia
Sitia ( el, Σητεία) is a port town and a municipality in Lasithi, Crete, Greece. The town has 9,912 inhabitants (2011) and the municipality has 18,318 (2011). It lies east of Agios Nikolaos and northeast of Ierapetra. Sitia port is on the ...
, based at
Ierapetra
* the Metropolis of Petra and
Hersonissos
Hersonissos ( el, Χερσόνησος, meaning "peninsula", ''Chersónisos'', ), also transliterated as ''Chersonissos'' and ''Hersónisos'', is a town and a local government unit in the north of Crete, bordering the Mediterranean / Aegean Sea. T ...
, based at
Neapoli
* the Metropolis of
Kissamos
Kissamos ( el, Κίσσαμος) is a town and a municipality in the west of the island of Crete, Greece. It is part of the Chania regional unit and of the former Kissamos Province which covers the northwest corner of the island. The town of Kissam ...
and
Selino, based at
Kastelli Kissamou
Kissamos ( el, Κίσσαμος) is a town and a municipality in the west of the island of Crete, Greece. It is part of the Chania regional unit and of the former Kissamos Province which covers the northwest corner of the island. The town of Kissam ...
* the Metropolis of
Arkalochori
Arkalochori ( el, Αρκαλοχώρι) is a town and a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Minoa Pediada, of which it is a municipal unit. The mu ...
,
Kastelli and
Viannos, based at Arkalochori.
See also
*
List of Archbishops of Crete
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Official website Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete
{{Authority control
Crete
Greek Orthodoxy in Greece