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Church & State, Jun 2000

Greece Removes Religion From Government Identity Cards

Government officials in Greece have ruled that state-issued identity cards will no longer list citizens' religious affiliation, infuriating leaders of the Orthodox Church who believe the move may be the first step toward separation of church and state.

On May 15, the Data Protection Authority ordered religion removed from the cards, which all Greek citizens over the age of 13 must carry. The authority also said the cards will no longer list the holder's nationality, occupation and the name of his or her spouse. New cards are due to be issued this month.

Archbishop Christodoulos, head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Greece's officially established state church, blasted the move and called for a national referendum on the issue. The archbishop claimed the church was being attacked by "rabid hounds intent on rending its flesh" and vowed defiance.

According to the Religion News Service, a church spokesman, Metropolitan Theoklitos, warned, "Orthodoxy...is an indivisible part of our identity, and we want it written on the identity cards. If the government accepts such a thing, there will be developments."

An estimated 98 percent of the Greek population are at least nominally members of the Greek Orthodox Church.