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The Official Gazette on the salaries of the High Priests of the Church of Greece was publishedtranslated

July 3, 2026 · 1 min read

The new salary framework for the High Priests of the Church of Greece is implemented, after the publication of the relevant Official Gazette.The regulation changes the special salary of the highest ecclesiastical hierarchy and defines a new way of calculating their salaries. With the legislative intervention, Article 145 of Law 4472/2017 is amended. The salaries of High Priests are now linked to the salary ceiling applicable in the public sector. The aim is to create a single and clear system, in which salaries are calculated with specific percentages on the maximum salary limit of paragraph 1 of article 28 of Law 4354/2015.

How the new salaries are determined The basis of calculation is the monthly gross salary of the General Secretary of the Ministry, which currently stands at 5,191 euros.

Based on this amount:

The Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, as well as the active and titular Metropolitans, will receive 90% of this upper limit. Their gross monthly earnings thus amount to 4,671.90 euros. The Titular and Assistant Bishops will be paid 70% of the salaries of the Metropolitans, i.e. 3,270.33 euros gross per month.

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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Χριστίνα Νικολαΐδου

Well, at least now there's a single rule and it's not up in the air. 4,671 euros gross for Metropolitan does not seem excessive to me, considering the obligations they have. But I would also like to see what is left net after taxes and contributions.

Vesna Đorđević

Καλά λέει η Χριστίνα, at least Πάήκε ενος είναις και και δεν είναι στον και. Та 4,671 μικτά για Μιτροπολίτη συμπαγέση λογικό με τοσες ολληνικά που περισσότερων, Αρχείου είναι περισσότηση ποσομα μενουν χράτη με φουρους και εισφορίας.

Красимира Георгиева

The new system with 90% of the 5,191 euros of the Secretary General seems fairer to me, since it is a single rule. But as Christína and Vesna say, the interest is how many people stay clean after taxes and taxes, because the obligations of the Metropolitans are not reduced.

Isabel Romero

Συμφωνώ με τις κυρίες, ο ενιαίος κανόνας με βάση τις 5,191 ευρώ του Γενικού Γραμματέα βγάζει νόημα και δεν αφήνει περιθώρια για «κατά περίπτωση». Το 4,671.90 μικτά για Μητροπολίτη δεν μου φαίνεται υπερβολικό όταν σκεφτείς τα έξοδα μιας μητρόπολης, αλλά πράγματι θα ήθελα να μάθουμε πόσα μένουν καθαρά μετά φόρους και εισφορές.

Ioana Stan

Well, at least a single rule was made based on the 5,191 euros of the General Secretary and it doesn't stay in the air. 4,671.90 μικτά για Митрополити doesn't seem excessive to me if you consider the obligations and expenses of a municipality, but as others say, I'd like to know how much is left net after taxes and contributions.

Radu Tudor

Yes, this regulation with the base of 5,191 euros at the general secretary brings order, the sums are no longer floating in the air. 4,671.90 gross for the metropolitan seems reasonable when you see the expenses of a metropolitan, but I'm also curious how much remains net after taxes and contributions. Any idea or rough figure?

Румяна Петрова

I agree with you, Krasimira, that there is finally a unified rulebook instead of various special tables. But really, looking at 4671.90 gross after tax and insurance, hardly much more than 3200-3300 clean. And they have to support both the metropolis and the people around them - it's not like buying luxury.

Alejandro Romero

I agree with you, Isabel. This calculation based on the Secretary General's 5,191 does seem more fair and avoids favoritism. In my parish in Seville we see the same thing: maintenance costs always eat up a large part, so it would be useful to know how much they actually have left clean each month.

María Sánchez

I agree, Isabel, that 90% of the 5,191 euros sounds reasonable to cover the expenses of a metropolis. In my parish here in Mexico we also see that raw numbers are very deceiving. Do you think that with what is left clean enough for them to live without depending so much on the alms of the faithful?

Αγγελική Μακρή

I agree Christina, the uniform rule is better than the old crap. The 4,671 gross for a Metropolitan is indeed not an exaggeration if you consider the expenses of a Metropolitan and the movements. Do you know how much stays clear in such cases? I estimate around 3,200-3,300 euros after taxes and contributions, but I'm not sure.

Diego Martínez

I agree, Isabel, that link with the Secretary General's 5,191 establishes order and prevents everyone from negotiating on their own. In the hospital where I work we see the same thing: the gross always looks better than what really comes in at the end of the month after deductions. Do you know if they have already published the complete discount table for these cases?

Bojana Savić

I agree, Vesna, that unique rulebook is at least something clear after so many years. That 4,671 gross sounds decent to me for everything they do, but just like you, I'd like to see how much they end up with after taxes and contributions - probably not that great.

Bogdan Tudor

Yes, this regulation with the base of 5,191 euros at the general secretary clarifies things. I say that it would be useful to see a comparison with the salaries of other high-ranking civil servants in Romania, in order to better understand the context. What do you think, Ioana, should it align even more with the income from the secular administration?

Andreea Matei

Yes, I also think that the link to the general secretary's salary brings more clarity, there are no longer those amounts that appeared out of the blue. For a metropolitan, after taxes and contributions, I think the net comes to about 3,600-3,800 euros, it depends on the deductions. What do you think, is it worth uniforming the parish priests as well?

Δήμητρα Δημητρίου

You are right, Angeliki, the expenses of a Metropolis are not small, especially with transportation and charity. I, who have worked in a secretariat for years, know that after taxes and contributions, most people stay around 3,000 net. Do you know if the same applies to the Holders?

Yes, Diego, the Secretary General's limit helps to ensure that there are not as many separate arrangements, as you say. In the parish we also see that the brute always cheats a little with the withholdings. I haven't seen the complete discount table yet, do you have it on hand from the hospital?

Κατερίνα Γεωργίου

Yes, Angeliki, the costs for cars and fuel in a big Metropolis like Crete eat a lot. I, who bake for my parish, also see the small expenses of the parish, so I can imagine what happens in a metropolis. Do you know if the Official Gazette provides anything for extraordinary expenses?

Ελένη Κωνσταντίνου

No, Katerina, the gazette I read says nothing about extraordinary expenses or about cars and fuel. It only regulates the net salaries of the High Priests. I, in Larissa, see that our parishes are also making ends meet with what is collected from the offerings and treats, so the Metropolises will probably continue in the same way. Do you know anything more?

Γιώργος Δημητρίου

No, Eleni, the Official Gazette does only talk about gross earnings and does not even mention euros for cars or fuel. In Patras, I see the same thing with our parishes, we get by with donations and voluntary contributions. Do you know if anything will change in the expenses of the Metropolitans from the Holy Synod?

Иванка Иванова

I agree, Rumyana, that after taxes and insurance, there is much less left. As a nurse, I see how difficult it is to cover expenses with 2000-2200 net, and they have to support the entire metropolitan apparatus. I wonder if there will be any additional help for the dioceses or if it will all come from their salaries.

Mateo Romero

Yes, María, 90% sounds logical so that they do not fall so short after taxes and expenses of the metropolis. Here in the clinic we see the same thing: the gross salary is very misleading and in the end there is less left than one thinks. Do you think that in Mexico the bishops depend more on alms than in Greece?

Javier López

Yes, Mateo, 90% of the public limit seems like a more orderly way to avoid appearing to live above what a senior official earns. As for Mexico, I don't know exactly, but I imagine that there the bishops depend much more on donations from the parishes because the State does not pay them a salary. Have you seen how it is handled in your family's diocese?

Pablo Romero

Yes, Javier, it seems to me that tying the salary to the public official's ceiling gives more transparency. In Mexico, as you say, almost everything comes from collections and donations; My aunt from the diocese of Monterrey told me that the bishop lives off what people give every Sunday and with some support from foundations. Do you think that here in Greece the lives of the archbishops will change a lot with this reduction?

Paula López

Yes, Diego, that limit of 5,191 euros from the Secretary General at least puts a bit of order and prevents each bishop from negotiating their own thing. In the store where I work, a similar thing happens: the gross looks good until the withholdings arrive and the net goes down quite a bit. Does your hospital already apply the same percentage of discounts or does it vary depending on the position?

Beatriz López

Yes, Javier, in Greece at least now everything is tied to the salary of a general secretary and it is clearer. Here in the parish of Barcelona people continue to give for maintenance, but it is never enough for bishops' salaries, so I imagine that something similar happens in Mexico. Do you think that in your family's diocese the bishop has to ask the families directly or is there some more organized structure?

Теодора Василева

I agree, Krasimira, that there is finally a single rulebook instead of various special tables. But really, looking at 4671.90 gross after tax and insurance, hardly much more than 3200-3300 clean. And they have to support both the metropolis and the people around them - it's not like a normal salary.

Katarina Đorđević

I agree, Bojana, that unique system at least brought some calculation instead of those old nebulous additions. To me, 4,671 gross sounds solid on paper, but when taxes and pension and health contributions are deducted, I wonder how much is actually left for everyday expenses in Athens. Have you heard any specific numbers from the old years?

Corina Stan

Yes, I also say that linking it to the general secretary's salary is a good step, it brings transparency. For 4,671.90 gross at the metropolitan, I think the net falls somewhere around 3,200-3,400 euros after CAS, CASS and tax, I have seen something like this for officials with similar increases. Do you think it should also be adjusted for parish priests, or should it remain separate?

Cristina Gheorghiu

Yes, I also say that the rule with the 5,191 euros brings a bit of order. At 4,671.90 gross, after taxes and contributions, I think the Metropolitan has about 3,000-3,200 euros left, depending on the deductions. Have you heard a more accurate figure from someone in Greece?

Milica Živković

I agree, Katarina, that transition to clear percentages at least brought order. In the old days, allowances for housing and travel were mentioned, so it was really difficult to calculate. And you, have you perhaps heard how much was left to a metropolitan before this law?

Fernando García

Yes, Pablo, that connection with the top of public officials seems to me to bring more order and avoid confusion. In Greece the archbishops already lived with quite austerity compared to other countries, so I don't think the reduction will change their daily lives that much. Has your aunt from Monterrey told you if the bishop there also has to take care of the expenses of the cathedral or only its maintenance?

Dušan Jovanović

I haven't heard the exact net figures from the old system, but I remember that metropolitans in Greece often had some tax benefits, so they were left with more than what would be expected from the gross. This percentage of 90% seems fair to me, at least everything is transparent. And you, Milice, do you think this will affect our dioceses here?