Ecclesiastical Law - Religious Freedom Issues

In recent years, case law from both the Council of State (Greece's Supreme Administrative Court) and the European Court of Human Rights has been increasingly filled with cases pertaining to Ecclesiastical Law, highlighting the pressing need to delineate its thematic scope. The two main areas of Ecclesiastical Law are: the constitutional framework governing Church-State relations and the individual right to religious freedom. Ecclesiastical Law is closely linked with Constitutional and Public Law, as ecclesiastical legal entities are mostly public law entities, and it constantly interacts with all branches of law.

The Church of Greece consists of two parts: the Autocephalous Church of Greece and the Metropolises of the Ecumenical Throne in the regions known as the "New Lands," which, while remaining under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, have been provisionally entrusted to the Autocephalous Church of Greece for administrative purposes. In Greece, there are also other ecclesiastical jurisdictions, such as the semi-autonomous Church of Crete, the self-governed region of Mount Athos, and the Dodecanese, which, despite their incorporation into Greece, remain under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Our law firm possesses expertise and experience in handling matters related to Ecclesiastical Law. We provide legal support in matters of religious criminal law, ecclesiastical courts, inheritance succession of monks, issues concerning the organizational structure and functioning of holy monasteries and hermitages, and the management of ecclesiastical/monastic property.

Additionally, our firm offers legal assistance to other religious communities, handles the process of obtaining permits for places of worship, and represents clients in cases involving violations of religious freedom.

The head of our office, Grigorios I. Giannoulis, is a PhD candidate in Ecclesiastical Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Law School, and he personally manages cases related to religious freedom to ensure the protection of our clients' interests.