Greece

Country
The country of Greece is situated south of Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia and has its shores washed by the Ionian, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The Country includes an archipelago of more than 2000 islands, but only 166 are suitable for habitation. From about 1000 B.C. Greek ancient culture began to thrive and its rich heritage of literature, philosophy, art, government, sports and science has played an important role in the establishment of Western civilization. Greece was not always independent; from 1460 A.D. on it was under Turkish rule for four centuries, during WW II German and Italian forces had occupied it, and from 1967 to 1974 a group of army colonels ruled as a repressive dictatorship. In 1974 a democratic republic was established.

People/Society
Greeks are very proud of their cultural heritage and believe that it is foundational to Western civilization. They see themselves as individualistic, brave and hardworking. The older generation of Greece’s society values the family, religion, tradition and education. To the younger generation one’s status and friends are also very important.

Religion
Religion is an inseparable part of the Greek way of life; about 98 percent of the 10.6 million people in Greece belong to the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox Church. However, most people do not attend church on any regular basis, with the exception of the Christian holidays or on special occasions. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the official, state supported religion in Greece and has a lot of influence. There is officially freedom of religion, but no other churches are allowed to proselytize. More than 1 percent of the population is Muslim; a small percentage belongs to other Christian churches.

On the field, the Church of the Nazarene is ministering in the following countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia