The Greek state will support the restoration, conservation and digitisation of the heritage of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem over the next ten years under a memorandum of cooperation concluded with Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture.
The document was signed in Athens in June 2026 and ratified by the Greek Parliament last week through a Ministry of Culture bill adopted by a majority vote. The agreement will remain in force for ten years and may be extended after a joint assessment of its implementation.
The cooperation covers the Holy Places of pilgrimage, churches and monastic establishments, works of art and sacred objects, and the collections of the Historical Archive and Patriarchal Library.
‘A factor of stability, continuity and moderation’
Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni highlighted the Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s historical and spiritual role in the Holy Land.
“The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the oldest Christian institution in the Holy Land. For many centuries, it has safeguarded the Holy Places, provided spiritual guidance to the faithful and guaranteed the uninterrupted presence of Orthodoxy and Hellenism in the region where the Christian faith was born and took root.”
“Their preservation, scientific study and promotion constitute a responsibility that concerns not only the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Greece,” the Greek official emphasised.
Against the backdrop of the situation in the Middle East, Lina Mendoni said the presence of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem “represents a factor of stability, continuity and moderation, contributing to the preservation of the multi-religious and multicultural character of the Holy Land”.
One million euros annually
The memorandum provides annual funding of €1 million for agreed projects, contributed equally by Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture.
Planned work includes conserving and restoring monuments and relics, preparing scientific and technical studies, digitally documenting heritage, and organising, conserving, and digitising manuscripts and printed works held by the Historical Archive and Patriarchal Library.
The agreement also covers the restoration of icons, church paintings, wood carvings and mosaics, as well as the development of academic and educational programmes in cooperation with higher education institutions in Greece.
“Through this bill, the Greek state is transforming a historic and longstanding relationship into a concrete, organised and long-term policy of protection, providing the Patriarchate of Jerusalem with stable institutional, scientific, technical and financial support,” the Culture Minister said.
‘Protecting cultural heritage is not a luxury’
Projects will be implemented with respect for the historical, administrative and canonical autonomy of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Patriarchate and the two ministries will jointly determine priorities, while funding will be provided for specific programmes agreed in writing.
“Protecting cultural heritage is not a luxury. It is an act of responsibility towards history, an investment in knowledge, and a contribution to Greece’s international presence and cultural diplomacy,” Lina Mendoni emphasised.
Among the first projects discussed after signing the memorandum are the protection and restoration of the Metochion of the Holy Sepulchre complex in Plaka and the Byzantine church in Goumenos, Ilia, as well as documenting holy relics and sacred objects preserved in the metochia of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Greece.
Photo: Greece Ministry of Foreign Affairs
