Archbishop to meet education minister following religious studies opt-out remarks

Archbishop Ieronymos, the head of the Church of Greece, is to meet the new education minister, Nikos Filis, on Tuesday in the wake of the government saying it will simplify the process for school pupils to opt out of religious studies classes.

Ieronymos appeared upset on Sunday by comments from Deputy Education Minister Sia Anagnostopoulou regarding parents being able to choose if their children attend religious studies classes.

“The constitution decides this,” said the archbishop. “Greeks have to stop listening to the nonsense that people say.” He insisted that the constitution would have to change for religious studies to become an optional subject.