Royal Reformation

Two years ago, Greece's King Constantine invited the nation's Orthodox bishops to his palace, implored them "to become bolder in providing for the religious needs" of their countrymen.

The prelates politely thanked him for his "useful" suggestions -- but otherwise ignored them. They may not have realized that the King's plea was inspired by his personal chaplain, Archiman drite* Ieronymos Kotsonis. Last week indications were that the royal recommendations would finally get some action. Ex-Chaplain leronymos, 61, was installed as the 17th Primate of the Orthodox Church in Greece.

Appointed by Constantine to succeed 86-year-old Archbishop Chrysostomos, who was retired by the new military government (TIME, May 19), leronymos promises to bring a breath of needed fresh air to Greece's dormant, dominant church. A native of the marble-quarrying island of Tinos, leronymos was ordained a deacon in 1932, earned scholarships to theological schools in England and Germany. He is an expert in canon law, with 90 published works to his credit, has a doctorate in divinity from the University of Athens. After World War II, he came to Queen Frederika's attention by leading a movement to repatriate Greek children who had been kidnaped by Communist guerrillas. In 1949, the royal family named him palace chaplain.

Byzantine Bickering. Arriving at Athens' Metropolis Cathedral for the enthronement ceremony, the new primate was wildly cheered by crowds shouting "Axios! Axios! [Worthy! Worthy!]." In his installation address, he pledged a sweeping reformation for the Greek church. Referring to moral scandals that have rocked the hierarchy, he vowed to "purge the church of its unworthy ministers." He also noted that two-thirds of the nation's 9,000 priests have only a sixth-grade education or less. To attract better qualified clergy, he promised to increase priests' salaries (which currently range as low as $32.70 a month) through more profitable management of church landholdings.

leronymos also called for an end to the hierarchy's Byzantine bickering over power and prestige. Announcing that he would soon fill 15 sees long left vacant because of bishops' jealousies, the archbishop warned that "any clergyman who attempts to canvass his election, directly or through middlemen, will be disqualified."

Gift from Constantinople. The most striking aspect of leronymos' proposed reformation was his avowed willingness to improve relations between the Greek church and its titular overseer, Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople. Greece's archconservative hierarchy has long been at odds with Athenagoras, largely because of his interest in healing Orthodoxy's centuries-old breach with Rome. Unlike the retired Chrysostomos, the new primate is an active ecumenist who has been a delegate for the church of Greece at several interfaith councils. Reflecting what may well become a new era of good feeling in Mediterranean Orthodoxy, Athenagoras last week sent his senior bishop, Metropolitan Meliton of Chalcedon, to represent him at the enthronement. Said Meliton, as he presented the new primate with a gold-handled pastoral staff: "It is high time that we proceed together."

* An office, ranking just below bishop, that is usually held by church administrators and superiors of groups of monasteries.

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