POLL SHOWS THAT GREEKS ARE THE MOST RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE EU

Athens, June 22, 2014

This is suggested by the results of the poll conducted by the All-European Social Research Department in 19 countries of the European Union. Its results have been published by Ελεύθερος Τύπος newspaper, reports Agion Oros. 75 percent of Greeks have called themselves religious and 46.2 percent have stated that they pray regularly.

The respective figures for Catholic and especially Protestant countries are lower. In the countries with a predominantly Catholic population 25.4% of citizens pray regularly, while in Protestant countries, only 17.9% of the population claim regular prayer. 26 percent of citizens of Greece attend church services at least once a week, in Catholic countries, 25.6 percent, and in countries with the predominantly Protestant population, 7.7 percent. The highest percentage people who attend church services regularly is seen in Ireland (53.8 percent) and Poland (56.7 percent).

Only 1.7 percent of Greek citizens call themselves “totally non-religious” and only 4.1 percent have admitted that they do not pray or go to church.

Pravoslavie.ru 23 / 06 / 2014

But the Greeks, who define their national identity as "Greek Orthodox" can also be intolerant, especially of Greek (i.e. really Greek) Catholics.

Our parish priest at St Nicholas' UGC parish (ironically, the same parish in which the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was partially filmed) was ordained a priest by such a Greek Catholic Bishop in Rome. That bishop came into communion with Rome and, for his trouble, he was placed in a barrel and thrown into the Bosphorus by his zealous countrymen.... Happily he survived.

Alex

I am sorry about that Alex, but that has little to do with the intent of the poll.

Regards,
Alice

Dear Alice,

As with our Ukrainian people for whom being EC or Orthodox is part and parcel of their cultural identity - I would only question the way in which genuine religiosity is measured.

Polls can be very flawed and can be said to mean all kinds of things.

As a PhD in sociology with thirty years of working in politics, I've seen many of these and also many headlines based on them as well.



Alex

That does not seem right. My hunch would be Slovakia...and there is even religious diversity. I remember hearing Sister Vassa mention that even in predominately Catholic countries where religious observance is now weak, observance is still stronger than in Orthodox countries.

Dear Alex,

I learned a long time ago that 'religious', as in 'observant' has little to do with being a good, kind, and loving person, so when I see the word 'religious', I don't make much of it, other than an 'observance' statistic.

On the other hand, a Greek Orthodox priest was once asked how he felt about a certain group of 'religious' people who were attending church and were known by their actions to be really terrible people. He said that at least they were there to hear the sermons, and just maybe the seeds of those words might one day make a difference, whereas if they were not there, there would be no seeds.

Kind regards,
Alice

Dear Alice,

Yes, of course, you are more than correct!

I remember Greece to be a country where the Spirit of Christ and of the Most Holy Theotokos reigns supreme!

Recently, I had a bit of a shock in that respect.

When I was with my wife at Patmos during our honeymoon, we visited the Church of St John the Theologian where the Beloved Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation.

As we came out of the Church, I lingered at the foot of the stairs. Everyone had gone ahead of me, but then I saw a very thin monk slowly descending along the stone stairs toward me.

He had brilliantly bright eyes and a wondrous smile. I immediately took his hand and kissed it, feeling the bones and thinking to myself - how this monk must fast!

He said some things - but it was "Greek" to me!

I thought that my wife should meet this Monk as well, so I turned to see where the group had gone.

It could not have been more than two seconds when I turned my head back to the Monk - but he was gone. I ran everywhere searching for him, thinking that he could not have gone very far, especially given how frail he looked. He wasn't anywhere, I was left alone there with no one around.

It sent shivers up my spine and I have related that experience to others ever since.

Last month, I was looking at that website Mystagogy in connection with an article you had linked here.

There was an article there about the saints of Patmos . . . and there, on the screen, was the icon of the Monk I had met more than thirty years ago. Same shivers.

That he would appear to such an unworthy person as myself is beyond all telling.

I have finally found him again.

Alex

"Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous in thy saints...."

What a wonderful and blessed experience! Thanks for sharing that beautiful story with us!

Alice

Glory to God for his Saints.


Do you have link to the article?

About 90% of Greeks call themselves Orthodox, but only about 5% of Greeks can be found at Liturgy on any given Sunday. "I'm religious"--but can't be bothered with the responsibilities and obligations of my faith. Right. Got it.

Actually, it is 26%.

Quote

26 percent of citizens of Greece attend church services at least once a week

Like the obligation of 'don't judge'?

Of course, what constitutes "attendance" varies according to cultural norms as well. Here in the US and Canada, "attend" usually means I personally attended. In some places in the "homeland" or East, "attend" means my father went to church, while mom stayed home and cooked, and the kids slept in. This has been my experience anyhow. Your mileage may vary.

Michael Thoma:

Please read the article, which Stuart seems to have not, thereby making his own erroneous statistics. It says:


I do believe that specifically means individuals.

Alice

Well, they may have found God after they lost faith in the EU, but I for a moment do not believe the statistics, not when, just a few years ago, a European Social Survey found fewer than 10% of Greeks attended church weekly. That study actually surveyed church attendance, whereas the "poll" about which you are all so hot-and-bothered was done by interviewing individuals.

Big news flash for all of you: When it comes to opinion polls, people lie. The most notoriously lie about sex, religion, and politics.

Dearest Stuart,

I really could care less about the poll. I just posted it because I thought that the whole article was interesting.

I am sorry that you think I am 'hot and bothered' about it, sir, because in reality, it seems that you are.

Unless of course I offended you because I corrected your inaccuracy about the particular poll?

Please forgive me then.

I do agree with you about polls. They are all over the place!

How about we discuss instead the rest of the article--such as the part that says that Ireland and Poland have the highest rate of church attendance in Europe, which is quite a cool thing in this day and age--or does that not interest you because they are Catholic and not Orthodox?

I wish you peace and love,
Alice

I just read another article about how Ireland's Mass attendance was 90% in 1986, by 2011 just 18%. Poland is still high in the 50% range, but dropping due to various reports of sexual abuse of minors.

Gee, I guess the United States doesn't look quite so bad in comparison, does it?

I think that what constitutes being religious doesn't need to be based solely on numbers of people attending church etc.

The Church has always been like a good Mother who offers the means of salvation and holiness through her very Life including liturgy, shrines etc.

People are free to make use of them - or not.

That doesn't take away from the beneficial influence the presence of the Holy Church exerts in a given nation.

Christians are often like a pendulum who swing this way and that.

One may be oblivious to miracles and other evidence of the Presence of God among us

That doesn't change the fact that God and Christ are among us, calling us to repentance and to a deeper, fuller life in the Church all the time.

When I was in Greece, I felt the powerful influence of the Greek Orthodox Church there and felt personally called to deeper repentance.

That has stayed with me all my life, even though I've faltered and fallen siince.

I would reccommend a spiritual pilgrimage to Greece to anyone who looks to the experience of drinking deeply from its refreshing waters of holiness and spirituality.

Alex