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October 4, 2005
Jehovah’s Witnesses Mark 100 Years in Greece
ATHENS—The year 2005 completes a century that Jehovah’s Witnesses have ministered to the people in Greece with a program of Bible education. On the occasion of this anniversary, during the months of October and November, the Witnesses will be distributing to all Greek citizens and residents a special brochure entitled 100-Year Modern History of Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses in Greece.
Jehovah’s Witnesses were first active in Greece in 1905, and by the 1920’s they were registered as a “known religion.” When the political climate changed in 1974, the status of the Witnesses was reaffirmed by a series of historical decisions issued by the Council of State (Council of State Decision Nos. 2105 and 2106/1975).
The work of this small group of faithful adherents in Greece was by no means without difficulty. In fact, between 1938 and 1992, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Greece were arrested over 19,000 times for practicing a religion different from the “dominant” religion of the State—the Greek Orthodox Church. This occurred even though freedom of religion was guaranteed by the Greek Constitution. Eventually, ten cases went before the European Court of Human Rights in the 1990’s, resulting in rulings that protect freedom of religion and speech.
Today there are some 30,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses active in Greece, part of an international Christian brotherhood that numbers over 6,500,000 worldwide. Following the example of the first-century Christians, they base their teachings on the Holy Bible and offer free home Bible studies to any who desire such a study. (2 Timothy 3:15-17) They also publish various Bible-based publications, including the well-known magazines The Watchtower and Awake! In this way, they endeavor to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom “in all the inhabited earth,” including Greece.—Matthew 24:14.
Jehovah’s Witnesses constitute a peaceful Christian community. Obeying Christ’s command, they practice love of God and love of fellow man and thus promote friendship, honesty, kindness, and brotherhood. (Luke 10:27) The Witnesses are known in Greece and throughout the world for their outreach. They seek opportunities to talk to people about how the Holy Bible can give hope in a troubled world, promote moral values and prove to be a source of practical and effective counsel in everyday life.
Contact: J. R. Brown, telephone: (718) 560-5600