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Greeks in outrage over €2mn annual grant to Theology School in Boston

The Greek government will grant 2 million euros on annual basis to the Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston in an effort to strengthen its programs and stimulate the Greek character of the school. The grant was promised by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his visit to USA, meetings with several diaspora Greeks organizations and a visit to Archbishop Elpidophoros of America beginning of the week.

The news revealed by former deputy foreign minister Antonis Diamataris who was forced to resign late last year, following a fake CV and business activities non-conform with his duties as Deputy FM.

Diamataris’ post on social media triggered an outrage in Greece. Many internet users speak of a “scandal” claiming that neither diaspora Greeks and nor the Archdiocese of America are in need of extra money, when poor Greeks back home cannot even afford heating during the winter times, when hospitals and schools are underfunded, and the government cut an one-off extra financial assistance to thousands of poor Greeks. Some Greeks even claim that with the grant PM Mitsotakis is trying to buy ‘votes” of diaspora Greeks in the US. Others criticized the lack of transparency in the grant.

The Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology was founded in 1935 by Archbishop Athenagoras with the initial aim to prepare young Greek or Greek-American men for the priesthood. In the last years, “the graduate school of Theology educates and forms Orthodox Christian men and women for service to the Church and society,” as it stands on its official website.

According to website orthodoxtimes, Archbishop Elpidophoros hailed the grant saying “I would particularly like to acknowledge Greece’s significant investment in our Theological School, a €2 million annual grant starting last year. This offering of Mother Greece to her children in the Diaspora is particularly important because it enhances the spiritual, the national and linguistic links between us.”

“It creates a sense of affinity for Diaspora Greeks as foster brothers,”the Archbishop of America dded.

This annual grant will be valid from last year, that is, 2019, and will play a key role in helping the economic reconstruction of the School of Theology, orthodox times adds.

It is worth noting that Diamataris’s newspaper for Diaspora Greeks in the USA had revealed that the theology School was in miserable finance situation and was not able to cover even its operational cost. it was set under 2-year probation by academic authorities.

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