Salary increases for the Archbishop and Metropolitan Bishops of the Church of Greece are included in the latest omnibus bill from the Ministry of Finance. These represent increases in monthly gross salaries ranging from 60% to 95%. Specifically, as outlined in Article 56 of the omnibus bill on measures against the energy crisis and income support for families, pensioners and other vulnerable groups, the salaries of the Archbishop and Metropolitan Bishops are being equalized and increased to 90% of the gross salary of a Ministry General Secretary, bringing them to €4,671.90.
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Salary increases for Archbishop and Metropolitan Bishops – Previous salary levels
It should be noted that until recently, the total monthly gross salary of the Archbishop ranged from €2,840 to €2,915 per month, with the upper limit achieved through additional allowances related to representation expenses and education level (master’s – doctoral degrees).
Similarly, each Metropolitan Bishop’s salary ranged between €2,400 and €2,475 monthly, under equivalent conditions. Previous legislation (paragraph 1 of Article 28 of Law 4354/2015) stipulated that clergy salaries must not exceed the salary of a Ministry General Secretary.
How the new amount is calculated
The changes in the omnibus bill specify that the new salaries for the Archbishop and Metropolitan Bishops increase to 90% of the limit (i.e., the General Secretary’s salary) and are therefore set at €4,671.90.
The €4,671 amount for clergy compensation is calculated based on the maximum salary limit for Ministry General Secretaries of €5,191, according to the new maximum salary limits (public sector personnel basic salary adjustment for 2026) effective from April 1, 2026.
Calculation: 90% of €5,191 = €4,671.90.
According to the bill, the Archbishop and Metropolitan Bishops will now receive the same amount, as the 90% limit applies to both positions.
Complete text of Article 56 from the Ministry of Finance omnibus bill
Salaries of Hierarchs of the Church of Greece – Amendment to Article 145 of Law 4472/2017
Article 145 of Law 4472/2017 regarding salaries is amended as follows: a) paragraph 1 is replaced, b) paragraph 3 is abolished, and Article 145 is restructured as follows:
- Monthly salaries of all types for Hierarchs of the Church of Greece are determined as follows:
- Total monthly salaries for the Archbishop, Metropolitan Bishops, and Titular Metropolitan Bishops are set at ninety percent (90%) of the limit specified in paragraph 1 of Article 28 of Law 4354/2015, concerning maximum salary limits.
- Total monthly salaries for Titular Bishops and Assistant Bishops are set at seventy percent (70%) of the salaries specified in section a).
- No other benefits beyond the above salaries shall be paid.
