Figure 1.--Here we see an Orthodox procession on Mykonos island, Greece (1954). Greece ws the only area of the Balkans that after World War II that escaped Communist rule and the resulting atheist campaign. (We are not sure what happoned in the Communist controlled areas during the Civil War.) It is not ckear wht the poricession is about, it looks like it might be the burial of a child. The boys here are acting as altar boys in their everyday clothing: long sleeves shirts, short pants, and bare feet.

The Orthodox Church is one of the three principal divisions of Christianity, along with Roman Catholic and Protestant. Eastern Orthodoxy is the smaller of the three duvisions with some 200 million worshipers in Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Levant. Islam conquered the Levant just at the time that the Eastern and Western churches were beginning to divide. With the European emmigration in the 19th century, Orthodox communities were established in America and other countries like Australia. Most Orthodox Christians, however are still found in the Balkans and Russia. The Soviet Communist atheism campaign largely de-Chritianized Russia and the Ukraine, but there has been somewhat of a recovery in Russia since the fall of Communismn (1992). Ukraine is a country split between the Roman West and the Russian-oriented Orthodox East. After World War II, the Comminists gained control of most of the Balkans which included countries with majority Ortodox populations. They like the Soviets launched atheism campaigns and as in Russia, the Orthodox Church was the religion most affected. Most of the resistance to the Communists came from the Roman Catholic and not the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church remains important in Greece, but this is very small country. The Greek Orthodoxy has significant social and culturl unfluence in Greece. Some 98 percent of Greeks identifies with the Greek Orthodox faith. Of course that does not mean pratacing church goers. Orthodox Christians in Greece have not been as affected by the notable de-Chritinization observble in Western Europe. The Church continues to be strong cultural forcee. Important sacramental moments in the Orthodox tradition continue to be important points in the lives of most Greeks. This includes baptism, chrismation, confession and holy communion, and marriage. Some Orthodox Greeks may fast in the weeks before Easter, Christmas and the Assumption of Mary meaning both food and indulgent activities. The Communist Governmnt in Bulgarian restricterd Church activites, bu not as aggessivedly as the Sovits. Today most Bulgarions consider themselves Orthodox, something like 85 percent. The Serbian Church was also restricted by the Communist Government after the War. Tito was less influnced by the historic role of the Church than connctions with the royal Government. Since the fall of Communism there has been a religious revial in Serbia, perhaps a nationalist as much as a religious movement.

Created: October 17, 2003
Last updated: 12:40 PM 11/10/2021