Archbishop Christodoulos Biography

Head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos mended ties with the Vatican, but often clashed with the Greek state. In 1998, Christodoulos became the youngest head of the church to be elected. He raised the church's popularity when he encouraged young people to join the church and cracked jokes during weekly sermons. Christodoulos led 10 million faithful Greeks, although he lost many supporters when he became more conservative in later years. In 2001, he agreed to a landmark visit from Pope John Paul, which marked a turning point between Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches, since the Great Schism of 1054.