History/About us

Historical Overview
1822
At the first National Assembly of Epidaurus which was the first assembly of the legislative body of the Modern Greek State (Epidaurus, December 20, 1821 – January 16, 1822) the Provisional Constitution of Greece which is considered the first Constitution of Greece was adopted on January 1st, 1822. By this text it is established, inter alia, that “the Government is composed of the Senate and of the Executive Power”. The Executive Power names eight Secretaries renewed every year, one of whom is the Secretary “of Divine Worship”. The Bishop of Androussa, Iossif, was named to this position (The Provisional Constitution of Greece, First National Assembly of Epidaurus, p. 9).
1823
At the Second National Assembly convened in Astros a year later, the Provisional Constitution of Greece was revised and a new Constitution was adopted, named “the Epidaurus Law”, demonstrating the continuity between the new Constitution and the previous one. In this text, it is established that the Executive body shall be composed of seven ministers, one of whom still is the “Minister of Religion” (The Provisional Constitution of Greece, Second National Assembly at Astros, p. 5).
1827
The Political Constitution of Greece adopted by the Third National Assembly at Troezen establishes six Secretaries of the State who are responsible for implementing the laws. One of the Secretaries of the State is the Secretary for law and education responsible for matters of Religion.
1832
The Royal Constitution of 1832, which was never applied, established that the Ministers-Secretaries were no more than seven, one of whom was responsible for the Ecclesiastical matters and Public Education.
1833
King Otto established with a Royal Decree that the Heads of Ministries shall be hereafter called “Secretaries of the State”. The Secretary for Ecclesiastical matters and Public Education was one of them (Official Gazette A΄ 2/22-02-1833). By the same decree, it is established that the scope of this Secretariat is to confer full freedom of worship to the Greek nationals of any religion. In the same year, the seven Secretariats are established, governed by the competent Secretary as Chief Director. The Royal Decree establishing the seven Secretariats sets out that the Secretariat for Ecclesiastical matters and Public Education is the fourth in command among the Secretariats (A΄ 13, 10-04-1833).
1844
In the Constitution of 1844, State Secretariats are named Ministries and State Secretaries are named Ministers.

1846
Law ΛΓ΄ “On organizing Ministries” (A΄ 14) adopted in 1846 establishes by legislation the term Ministries. The seven preexisting Ministries (former State Secretariats) are maintained, but for the first time it is laid down that the administration of the Ministries is divided into Departments and the post of the Secretary General is introduced. By the same law it is established that the staff of the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Matters includes two Department Heads, three Secretaries (class a΄ and class b΄), three Clerks (class a΄, class b΄ and class c΄) and two ushers.
1852
By Law ΣΙΕ΄ of December 16, 1852 (A΄ 65/20-10-1852), an additional secretary of the minister is included and a clerk of class a΄.
1856
Four years later, in 1856, by Law ΤΟΣΤ΄ adopted on October 12, 1856 (A΄ 60/20-10-1856), an additional secretary of the minister of class a΄ is included.
1925
By the Act of Legislative Content of December 29, 1925 (A΄ 5/08-01-1926) the Directorate for Religious Affairs is established in the Central Agency of the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. The Head of the Directorate is a General Director and has, along with the Minister, the high supervision of “Ecclesiastical” matters and may be instructed by the Minister to supervise “special matters”. The General Director for Religious Affairs has the responsibilities and jurisdiction that the Head of the Department of Ecclesiastical matters hitherto had.
1926
In 1926, a new Act of Legislative Content lays out that the Ministry of Ecclesiastical matters and Public Education is named Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education, consisting of twelve departments, first of which is the Department for Religious Affairs. By the same Act, the Act of 1925 (A΄ 140/29-04-1926) is repealed, by which the Directorate for Religious Affairs was established.
1937
In 1937, by Emergency Law 782 (A΄ 267/15-07-1937) the Directorate for Religious Affairs is reestablished and the Ministry is named Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Education.
1951
In 1951, by Emergency Law 1671 (A΄ 33/28-1-1951), the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Education is renamed Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs; this has been the name of the Ministry since 2009.
1976
In 1976, by Presidential Decree 147 (A΄ 56/15-03-1976) the General Directorate for Religious Affairs is established. It comprises three Directorates:
a. for Ecclesiastical Administration, including i) the Department for Ecclesiastical Administrative matters and ii) the Department for Churches, Monasteries and Clergy
b. for Ecclesiastical and Religious Education, including i) the Department for Staff and ii) the Department for Administration; and
c. for other denominations and religions, including i) the Department for other Denominations and ii) the Department for other Religions.

1987
In 1987, by Presidential Decree 417 (A΄ 186/19-10-1987) the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs is established, providing for a position of Secretary General as Head (special positions type, 1st degree). The General Secretariat for Religious Affairs is responsible for implementing the government policies on Religions and for supervising the Directorates under the General Directorate for Religious Affairs.
1990
In 1990, by Presidential Decree 339 (A΄ 135), General Directorates are established at the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. The first in order is the General Directorate for Religious Affairs including the Directorates for:
a. Ecclesiastical Administration
b. Ecclesiastical Education
c. Other Denominations and Religions
The General Directorate coordinates the action of the units it is comprised of, aiming at specializing, analyzing and evaluating the policies implemented in Religious Affairs.
2014
The General Directorate for Religious Affairs was repealed in 2014 by Presidential Decree 114 (A΄ 181). By this Decree, it is established that the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs includes two Directorates:
a. Directorate for Religious Administration including the Department for Ecclesiastical Administration and the Department for other Religions and Denominations, and
b. Directorate for Religious Education including the Department for Ecclesiastical and Religious Education and the Department for Religious Freedoms and Interfaith Relations

In this Presidential Decree, protection of freedom of religious conscience and religious worship as well as supervising religious ministers of all known religions is included for the first time among the scope of the mission of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic.
2018
Βy the Presidential Decree 18/2018 (Official Government Gazette A΄ 31/23-02-2018) currently in force on the Organizational Structure of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs includes two Directorates:
a. The Directorate for Religious Administration including the Department for Ecclesiastical Administration, the Department for Administrative affairs and Register and the Department for Islamic Affairs, and
b. The Directorate for Religious Education and Interfaith Relations including the Department for Ecclesiastical and Religious Education, the Department for Religious Freedoms and Interfaith Relations and the Department for Medresses (Islamic Religious Schools).

From the establishment of the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs, the following individuals have held the position of Secretary General:
• Petros Gemtos (06.07.1989 – 07.12.1989)

• Georgios Papakonstantinou (31.05.1990 – 06.10.1993)

• Ioannis M. Konidaris (31.08.2001 – 02.03.2004)

• Georgios Kalantzis (from 07.07.2011)