Timeline of Eastern Orthodoxy in Greece (1821–1924)

This is a timeline of the presence of Eastern Orthodoxy in Greece from 1821 to 1924. The history of Greece traditionally encompasses the study of the Greek people, the areas they ruled historically, as well as the territory now composing the modern state of Greece.

Greek War of Independence (1821–1829)

1821 Greek War of Independence begins as Metr. Germanos of Patras declares Greek independence on Day of Annunciation (25 March), also Kyrio-Pascha,Hieromonk Cassian. A Scientific Examination of the Orthodox Church Calendar - Ch. 9: Liturgical Havoc Wreaked by the "New Julian" Calendar. Eds. Archbishop Chrysostomos and Hieromonk Gregory. Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1998. Retrieved: 12 July 2013.From antiquity the Orthodox Church has celebrated with special liturgical joy the occurrence when Pascha falls on 25 March (Old Style) - the Feast of the Annunciation, calling it "Kyriopascha," "the Lord's Pascha". It was precisely on the coincidence of the Feasts of the Annunciation and Pascha on 25 March 1821 (Old Style), that Greece challenged the Turkish Yoke. Kyriopascha has also manifested its miraculous Grace to our own generation by its most recent occurrence in 1991, the year of the demise of Communism in Russia, a demise which, furthermore, was finalized by a last, desperate gasp in the form of an abortive Communist coup thwarted on 6 August (Old Style)–the Feast of the Transfiguration. The last Kyriopascha on the Julian calendar was in 1991; the next will be in 2075, 2086 and 2159. The last Kyriopascha on the Gregorian Calendar was in 1951, and the next will be in 2035, 2046 and 2103. at the Monastery of Agia Lavra, Peloponnese; martyrdom of Patr. Gregory V of Constantinople,"Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Gregory V ." Ec-patr.org. Retrieved 23 September 2012. Abp. Kyprianos of Cyprus,"Cyprus brief historical survey". Kypros.org. Retrieved 23 September 2012. and Abp. Gerasimos (Pardalis) of CreteDr. Detorakis, Theocharis. "Brief Historical Review of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete ." University of Crete (Orthodox Research Institute). Retrieved 23 September 2012. in retaliation; former Ecumenical Patriarch Cyril VI of Constantinople (1813–18) is hanged at the gate of Adrianople's cathedral; "Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Cyril VI ". Ec-patr.org. Retrieved 23 September 2012. Metropolitans Gregorios of Derkon, Dorotheos of Adrianople, Ioannikios of Tyrnavos, and Joseph of Thessaloniki are decapitated on the Sultan's orders in Constantinople; "University of Athens – Επίτομο Λεξικό της Ελληνικής Ιστορίας". Phys.uoa.gr. 16 September 1960. Retrieved 2012-09-23. Metropolitans Chrysanthos of Paphos, Meletios of Kition and Lavrentios of Kyrenia are executed in Nicosia, Cyprus; Turkish Cypriot mobs hang most of the Greek Cypriots in Larnaca and other towns, among them an archbishop, five bishops, thirty six ecclesiastics;Claude Delaval Cobham. Exerpta Cypria. Cambridge University Press (1908) pp. 454-455. storming of Tripolitza, marking an early victory in the Greek War of Independence;Spencer C. Tucker (Ed.). A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. , p. 1139. liberation fighters started calling themselves "Hellenes" (for continuity with their ancient Hellenic heritage), rather than using the generic "Romioi" (Ρωμιοί, which referred to both their Roman citizenship and religious affiliation to Orthodox Christendom); Ioannes Philemon. "Historical Essay on the Greek Revolution". Vol.2, pp.79. (Ιωάννης Φιλήμων. Δοκίμιον ιστορικόν περί της ελληνικής Επαναστάσεως. T.2, Αθήνα 1859 .)Ioannis Kakrides. Ancient Greeks and Greeks of 1821. Thessalonike, 1956. death of Nikephoros of Chios.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ὅσιος Νικηφόρος ἐκ Χίου . 1 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Venerable Nicephorus of Chios. OCA – Feasts and Saints.

1822 Greek Constitution of 1822 is adopted on 1 January by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus, stating that "all those indigenous inhabitants of the State of Hellas who believe in Christ are Hellenes" (Section B, Paragraph 2);Christos Yannaras. Orthodoxy and the West: Hellenic Self-Identity in the Modern Age. Transl. Peter Chamberas and Norman Russell. Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2006. p.9. the Chios massacre takes place, a total of about 100,000 people perish;Dadrian, Vahakn N. Warrant for Genocide: Key Elements of Turko-Armenian Conflict. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1999. p.153. decisive Greek victory at the Battle of Dervenakia over the superior forces of Mahmud Dramali Pasha saved the War of Independence;Dakin, Douglas The Greek Struggle for Independence, 1821-1833 . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973. (Excerpts from Chapter 3 – The campaigns of 1822 & 1823). English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley writes the verse drama Hellas with a view to raising money for the Greek War of Independence.Ian Ousby. The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. Cambridge University Press, 1996. . 1823 Wonderworking Icon of Panagia Evangelistria found on Tinos, led by a vision from Saint Pelagia of Tinos (†1834),Great Synaxaristes : Ἡ Ἁγία Πελαγία ἡ Τηνία . 23 Ιουλίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.July 23/August 5 . Orthodox Calendar (Pravoslavie.ru). becoming the most venerated pilgrimage item in Greece at the Church of Evangelistria; martyrdom of Hieromonk Christos of Ioannina;François Pouqueville. "Martyrdom of Hieromonk Christos of Ioannina." In: Leonidas J. Papadopulos, Georgia Lizardos et al. (Transl.). New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke. Seattle: St. Nectarios Press, 1985. pp.262–263. Lord Byron agreed to act as agent of the London Philhellenic Committee, sending £4,000 of his own money to prepare the Greek fleet and joining statesman Alexandros Mavrokordatos, revered in Greece as a national hero."Byron, George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. 1824 Inspired by Philhellenist Lord Byron, American physician Samuel Gridley Howe joined the Greek army as a surgeon, becoming known for his bravery, enthusiasm, and ability as a commander, as well as his humanity, winning him the title the "Lafayette of the Greek Revolution," later writing an account of the revolt titled Historical Sketch of the Greek Revolution, published in 1828.Richards, Laura E. (Howe). Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe. p. 13. Boston: Dana Estes & Company, 1909. p. 278.

1825 Archimandrite Gregorios Dikaios ("Papaflessas") is killed during the Battle of Maniaki on 20 June, fighting against the forces of Ibrahim Pasha at Maniaki, Messenia.Efthymios Tsiliopoulos. Papaflessas stirs revolution. Athens News. 28 December 2007 12:12 am. 1826 The Exodus of Messolonghi (Greek: Έξοδος του Μεσολογγίου) occurred from 10 to 11 April 1826 (Lazarus Saturday – Palm Sunday), under the leadership of Notis Botsaris, Kitsos Tzavelas and Dimitrios Makris, against the Ottoman forces of Reşid Mehmed Pasha and the Egyptian forces led by Ibrāhīm Pasha, resulting in several thousand Greek deaths and thousands of women and children being enslaved, ultimately increasing the Philhellenist movement in Europe and having a significant influence on the eventual decision of Britain, France and Russia to intervene militarily in the Battle of Navarino (1827) and secure Greece's independence. 1827 Russia, Britain and France in London recognize autonomy of Greece, and agree to force truce on Ottoman Sultan;TODAY IN HISTORY: 6 JULY. AAP NEWSFEED. 3 July 1998. Ioannis Kapodistrias is elected provisional president of Greece (Governor of Greece)."Kapodístrias, Ioánnis Antónios, Count." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. 1828 In May Patriarch Agathangelos I dispatched a mission of four very senior prelates from the patriarchal synod to Greece bringing letters addressed to 'the clergy and notables of the Peloponnese and the Aegean Islands', whereby they were asked to resubmit to the Sublime Porte;Michael Angold (Ed.). The Cambridge History of Christianity. Volume 5: Eastern Christianity. Cambridge University Press, 2008. p. 233. Greek church opened in London (2nd time).Timeline of the History of the Greek Church. Anagnosis Books, Deliyianni 3, Marousi 15122, Greece. Retrieved 25 April 2013. 1829 Treaty of Adrianople ends Greek War of Independence, culminating in the creation of the modern Greek state,John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton. The Cambridge Modern History. Macmillan & Co., 1907. p.202. after over 600 years of foreign occupation (around 250 years of Frankish occupation and 375 years of Ottoman Turkish occupation).

First Hellenic Republic (1829–1832)

c. 1829 The purified and formal Katharevousa variety of Modern Greek is promoted as the official language (to 1976); Ioannis Kapodistrias made Nafplion the first official capital of modern Greece (1829–1834)."Nauplia." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. 1830 Inauguration of the Church of Our Lady of Tinos, who is considered a patron saint of the Greek nation;Ev. A. Foskolos (Employee of the Holy Foundation of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Tinos). THE PANHELLENIC HOLY SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF TINOS: HISTORY – MIRACLES – ACTIVITY. Transl. C. Meihanetsidis, 1991. Retrieved: 13 July 2015. the fully sovereign status of Greece was accepted in the London Protocol of 3 February 1830. 1832 Treaty of Constantinople, European powers establish Greek protectorate;Linda J. Wilson. Modern-Day Greece Formed By Historic Struggles. The Queens Gazette (New York). 21 March 2012. Otho I was chosen King of Greece by the great powers at the Conference of London in May 1832."Otto." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009.

Kingdom of Greece (1832–1924)

1833 Instigated by Georg von Maurer and led by Theoklitos Pharmakidis (a Greek Orthodox priest influenced by German Protestant thought), the National Assembly at Nauplio declares the Church of Greece independent (autocephalous) from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. 1833–1834 Dissolution of the monasteries: the "Bavarokratia" closes down 600 monasteries and nationalises monastic land-holdings, allowing Protestant missionaries to work undisturbed. Η Εισβολή των Δυτικών Μισσιοναρίων στην Ελλάδα (19ο αι) και η αντιμετώπισις αυτών απ'τον Καποδίστρια. Ἀντίβαρο. 7 June 2009. Retrieved: 1 June 2013. 1835 On 2 February the Ecumenical Patriarch Constantius II of Constantinople (1834–35) celebrating with 12 bishops and an enormous flood of the faithful, consecrated the rebuilt Church of the Life-Giving Font dedicating it to the Most Holy Theotokos. Παναγία, η Ζωοδόχος Πηγή . ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΠΑΡΕΜΒΑΣΗ (ΜΗΝΙΑΙΑ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩΣ ΝΑΥΠΑΚΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΒΛΑΣΙΟΥ). ΑΠΡΙΛΙΟΣ 2009.Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Bright Friday. Accessed 12 February 2013. 1837 School of Theology at the National and Capodistrian University of Athens founded.