organization:greek orthodox church

Holy Land for Sale – Foreign Policy
▻https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/01/07/holy-land-for-sale

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is selling church land that’s ending up in the hands of Israeli settler groups. Its Palestinian Christian congregants are furious.

JERUSALEM—On the eve of Orthodox Christmas, on Jan. 6, dozens of Palestinians lining the cobblestone roads of Bethlehem protested the convoy of the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, with chants of “traitor” as it made its way to Manger Square under heavy protection by Palestinian security forces. Representatives of Bethlehem municipality gave the patriarch the cold shoulder, refusing to meet him in the square as is customary.

The protesters’ anger is erupting now because the Greek Orthodox Church, the second-biggest landowner in the Holy Land, has in recent years been embroiled in a real estate controversy.

The church—which owns about one-third of the land in Jerusalem’s Old City as well as property in the West Bank and in Israel, including the plot on which the Knesset is built—has quietly sold off plots of land and property to frontmen and developers, with many ending up in the hands of Israeli settler groups. The practice of selling off church property or leasing it for decades has pitted the clergy, the majority of whom are Greek, against their Palestinian flock. As these deals began to surface, protests by the church’s majority Palestinian congregation have intensified, as has fear among Israelis whose homes are located on leased church land.

Greek Orthodox church quietly selling off Israeli real estate at fire sale prices - Israel News - Haaretz.com
▻https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.816980

An anonymous company registered in a tax shelter paid $3.3 million for 240 apartments, a commercial center and open areas in the center of Jerusalem.
The deal, for what appears to be a ridiculously low price, was made by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the second largest real estate owner in Israel, after the Israel Lands Authority. In recent years the Patriarchate has been quietly selling off its properties in various parts of the country to companies hidden in tax shelters, for sums so low one wonders whether the church is trying to get rid of its assets at any cost.
While the reason for the numerous sales and the low price remain a mystery, three agreements obtained by Haaretz shed some light on the transactions. For example, the lands sold in Jerusalem have meanwhile been resold to another company, also registered in a tax shelter. Also, some six dunams near the Clock Tower square in Jaffa, consisting of dozens of businesses, have been sold for a mere $1.5 million and 430 dunams in Caesarea, including large parts of the national park and amphitheater, were sold for only $1 million.
All the purchasers are foreign companies registered in tax shelters, so it is impossible to obtain information about their owners. In a few decades, when the existing leases for those lands expire, their fate will be determined by those unknown purchasers.
The church bought or acquired most of its lands during the 19th century. Traditionally the church didn’t sell its lands but leased them out, usually for 99 years, to public bodies like the Jewish National Fund or the Israel Lands Authority.

Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Church sacks Palestinian archbishop – Middle East Monitor
▻https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161203-jerusalems-greek-orthodox-church-sacks-palestinian-archb

https://i1.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/images/article_images/people/Archbishop-Atallah-Hanna.jpg?w=600&quality=75&strip=all&ssl=1

“Patriarch Theophilos and his Holy Gathering decided today to stop the salary of Archbishop Attalla Hanna,” the statement said, noting that Hanna is the only Palestinian archbishop in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Ten Ways on How Not To Think About the Iran/Saudi Conflict | On Being
▻http://www.onbeing.org/blog/omid-safi-ten-ways-on-how-not-to-think-about-the-iransaudi-conflict/8315
▻http://www.onbeing.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/large-map-Artboard_7.png?itok=RBM8hG1E

One . In order to understand this conflict, do not start with Sunni/Shi‘a seventh century succession disputes to Prophet. This is a modern dispute, not one whose answers you are going to find in pre-modern books of religious history and theology. Think about how absurd it would be if we were discussing a political conflict between the U.S. and Russia, and instead of having political scientists we brought on people to talk about the historical genesis of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Hezbollah sheikhs in Christmas tour of south Lebanon churches
▻http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Dec-25/282228-hezbollah-sheikhs-in-christmas-tour-of-south-lebanon-churches.a

Hezbollah delegations toured several churches in southern Lebanon Thursday to wish Christians a merry Christmas.

The first delegation, headed by Sheikh Ahmad Mrad, arrived at the Greek Orthodox Church in Tyre at the start of their tour, where they offered Christmas greetings to Archimandrite Jack Khalil.

Next, the same delegation visited the Catholic Church. Bishop Michael Abrass thanked the delegation for the well-wishes offered by Hezbollah on Christmas.

“We hope this country would be blessed with more love, harmony and convergence in order to build a nation that expects a lot from us,” Mrad said.

The tour ended at the Maronite Cathedral of Our Lady of the Seas, where Bishop Shukrallah al-Haj thanked Hezbollah for its support “of this church and of this country where a display of Christian-Muslim unity is always seen during joint holidays.”

A second Hezbollah delegation headed by Sheikh Zeid Daher made a similar tour of churches in the southern port city of Sidon.