Discover
The identity of the nation
Greece is the cradle of Western civilization: from philosophy to theater, from Athenian democracy to the Olympic Games, this small southeastern European country shaped the thinking of much of the world. Washed by the Aegean and Ionian Seas, with Athens as its capital and about 10.4 million inhabitants, it is a nation of mountains, peninsulas and thousands of islands scattered across the Mediterranean.
Greece holds a singular place in Christian history. It was here that the apostle Paul preached at the Areopagus in Athens, planted churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth, and wrote much of the New Testament letters. Greek was the language in which the Gospel spread throughout the ancient world. Later, Constantinople and the Byzantine world made Greek territory one of the great centers of Eastern Christianity for over a thousand years.
Today, about 88% of the population identifies as Christian, nearly all connected to the Greek Orthodox Church, recognized in the Constitution as the predominant religion. The Orthodox faith permeates the calendar, festivals, saints’ days and national identity: for many, being Greek and being Orthodox are almost the same thing. But this identity is largely cultural and inherited: surveys indicate that only a small portion attend church regularly, and the living practice of faith has declined, especially among young people in the cities.
Behind the nominal Christian majority, evangelicals make up less than 1% of the population, and personal, transforming faith reaches few. Decades of economic crisis, drift from religion and disillusionment have left deep marks. At the same time, Greece has become a gateway for thousands of migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, many of them Muslim and with no contact with the Gospel, living on islands and in urban peripheries.
Greece carries an immense spiritual heritage and an equally great need: that faith stop being mere tradition and become a living encounter with Christ again, and that the newly arrived peoples come to know God’s love in the land where the Gospel once flourished.
- 3rd century BC Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations and the rise of city-states, such as Athens and Sparta.
- 776 BC The first Olympic Games are held, in Olympia.
- 5th century BC Height of classical Greece: Athenian democracy, philosophy, theater and the wars against Persia.
- 336 BC Alexander the Great spreads Greek language and culture across the known world.
- 146 BC Greece is incorporated into the domain of Rome.
- AD 49-52 The apostle Paul preaches in Athens, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth.
- 395 Greece becomes the heart of the Byzantine Empire and Orthodox Christianity for over a thousand years.
- 1453 Fall of Constantinople; the long Ottoman domination over Greek lands begins.
- 1821 Beginning of the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.
- 1832 The powers recognize an independent Greece; the modern Greek state is born.
- 1913 After the Balkan Wars, the country annexes Macedonia, Epirus and Crete.
- 1981 Greece joins the European Economic Community, today the European Union.
- 2010 A deep debt crisis shakes the Greek economy and society.
- Today Culturally Orthodox majority, secularized society and gateway for migrants in the Mediterranean.
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Greekofficial, spoken by practically the entire population
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Englishwidely understood in tourist areas and among young people
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Minority languagesTurkish, Albanian, Romani and others spoken by specific communities
Greece occupies the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, in southeastern Europe, and extends across thousands of islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. It is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe: about 80% of its territory is rugged terrain, cut through by the Pindus mountain range, with Mount Olympus, home of the gods in ancient myth, as its highest point. The indented coastline and islands, of which about 166 are inhabited, define the country's life and economy.
Major cities
- AthensCapital and largest city, historical, political and cultural center
- ThessalonikiSecond largest city, hub of the north and major port
- PatrasPort in the west, gateway connecting to Italy
- HeraklionLargest city on Crete, the country's main island
Climate and temperature
Moussaka
Layers of eggplant, ground meat and bechamel sauce gratinated, an iconic dish of Greek cuisine.
Souvlaki
Skewers of grilled meat, usually pork or chicken, served with pita bread and sauces.
Tzatziki
Refreshing sauce of Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and olive oil, a classic side.
Gyros
Meat roasted on a vertical spit, sliced and served in pita with vegetables and fries.
Dolmades
Grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, seasoned with lemon and olive oil.
Greek salad
Tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a block of feta cheese drizzled with olive oil.
Baklava
Sweet made of phyllo pastry with walnuts and pistachios, soaked in honey and cinnamon syrup.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Filotimo
Core value: a sense of honor, dignity and generosity that guides how one treats others.
Family at the center
Life revolves around the extended family; feasts, baptisms and weddings gather crowds.
Hospitality
Welcoming visitors well is a matter of pride; refusing food or drink can offend.
Orthodox faith and identity
The Orthodox religion shapes the calendar, festivals and the very sense of being Greek.
Name days
The day of the saint whose name one carries is celebrated, often more than the birthday.
Parea and togetherness
The pleasure of being together, talking for hours at the table over food and wine.
- Confusing faith with mere politics The Orthodox Church is a sensitive part of national identity; treat it with respect.
- Rushing and excessive formality Greeks value the time spent in conversation, coffee and relationship.
- Refusing offered hospitality Turning down food or drink can come across as disrespect to the host.
- Reducing the country to island tourism There is a complex society, marked by crisis and a search for meaning.
- Sensitive topics with Turkey Border and historical issues are delicate; listen more than you opine.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Orthodox identity is cultural for many, with little personal relationship with Christ.
The drift from faith is growing, especially among young people in the cities.
The weight of ritual and custom can obscure the living message of Jesus.
The glory of the classical past can feed spiritual self-sufficiency.
Years of economic crisis have left discouragement, disbelief and a youth exodus.
The pursuit of stability and consumption takes the place of the pursuit of God.
The small evangelical church is viewed with suspicion and marginalization.
The arrival of migrants stirs tension and makes welcoming one's neighbor harder.
Behind the apparent religiosity, many live with anxiety and a lack of meaning.
Fascination with ancient and mystical beliefs resurfaces as a search for transcendence.
In Greece, freedom of worship is guaranteed by law. The Orthodox Church, the predominant faith, enjoys broad recognition and protection from the State.
Even so, tensions exist for minority Christian groups. Evangelical churches and other denominations sometimes face social suspicion, bureaucratic difficulties in gaining recognition and the perception that leaving Orthodoxy is a betrayal of national identity. Converting to another expression of faith can bring pressure from family and community.
Migrants and refugees of Muslim background who turn to Christ form the most vulnerable group, subject to hostility within their own communities. The country’s greatest challenge, however, is not open persecution but spiritual indifference and the weight of a faith reduced to tradition.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Greece has dozens of people groups, and about 14 of them are still considered unreached. Despite the majority's strong Orthodox Christian identity, evangelicals make up less than 1% of the population. The least-reached groups include historic Muslim communities, such as Turks and Pomaks in the north, Romani populations and, above all, the thousands of migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who have arrived in the country in recent decades, many of them with no access to the Gospel at all.
- 307K Unreached 3.1%
- 343K Minimally reached 3.5%
- 9M Superficially reached 91.7%
- 135K Partially reached 1.4%
- 29K Significantly reached 0.3%
- 14 Unreached 30.4%
- 3 Minimally reached 6.5%
- 18 Superficially reached 39.1%
- 9 Partially reached 19.6%
- 2 Significantly reached 4.3%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Bengali-speaking South Asian
Pomak
Swahili Frontier
Egyptian Arab
Alevi Zaza Frontier
Muslim Sa’idi Arab Frontier
Kurmanji Kurd Frontier
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.
Greek Official
Pontic
Gheg Albanian
Aromanian
Northern Zazaki
Greek Sign Language
Levantine Arabic
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
higher in Athens and the tourist islands
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn a few words in Greek: the effort is highly valued, though English helps in tourist areas.
- Set aside time for relationship: rushing and formality push people away; connection is built at the table.
- Respect the Orthodox faith: it is tied to national identity, even among the less devout.
- Be mindful of the reality of migrants on the islands and in the peripheries, where there is great need and openness.
- Take into account the summer heat: plan activities for early morning and late afternoon.