Mourning the People's Archbishop

Mourning the People's Archbishop

A four-day period of mourning was announced on Monday following the death of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and all Greece, who passed away at his home, aged 69, following a 7-month battle with cancer. The Interior ministry announced that all public service buildings would fly flags at half-mast, while public services and schools would remain closed on the day of the late Archbishop's funeral, January 31. The ministry further announced that the funeral would be held with full honors of Head of State at Athens' First Cemetery.

The body of the Archbishop will lie in state for three days at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Thousands of citizens are crowding around the cathedral to pay their last respects to one of the most popular Archbishops in Greece's history. Messages of condolences are flooding in from politicians and other public figures in Greece and abroad.

Regarding Christodoulos' successor, the election of a new Archbishop will be held on February 7 at the Athens Cathedral.

See also:

Archbishop Christodoulos: Funeral Thursday with Head of State Honors

Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece Falls Asleep in the Lord

(Posting date 28 January 2008)

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