For the first time, children in Greek primary schools are getting a reasonably accurate picture of how Christianity really spread in Greece. This is made possible by the history book for the fifth grade of elementary school, which from now on is part of the national curriculum. Apparently the narrative of Christianity’s peaceful victory, the story, or rather lie, we all grew up hearing, is becoming brittle. Because, for the first time ever, we have a Greek school book addressing the Christian violence toward Hellenism. Before that there were only subtle hints here and there, if at all.
(Greek primary school is called “Dimotiko Scholio” and it includes 6 grades or levels. After the end of primary education, children study in lower secondary school, called “Gymnasio,” which consists of three grades. After Gymnasio, students can attend the upper secondary education school which is called “Lykeio” and is also consisting of three grades. Fifth graders of primary schools are usually ten years old.)
Images in the book show “fanatical Christians destroying ancient sites” (see image 4). Even an excerpt from Libanius‘ letter to Emperor Theodosius (Oration 30) is provided. Furthermore, the book says:
“Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion and took harsh measures against the religion of the ethnikoi*:
• he closed the ancient temples, banned the cult of the old gods and legislated extremely harsh punishments for violators.
• he banned the Olympic Games (392 AD), the Eleusinian Mysteries, and closed the Oracle of Delphi.
• he tolerated the destruction and looting of the ancient temples, sites and works of art by fanatical Christians.”
But the old, good Christian propaganda cannot, of course, be missing. Anything else would be unthinkable. So, immediately after reading the passage about Theodosius‘ crimes against their ancestral religion, the children learn: “However, Christianity finally prevailed due to its doctrine and the work of the church fathers. A special contribution to the peaceful spread of Christianity was made by the three hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom, who combined ancient Greek education with the teachings of the new religion.”
This is how the short chapter about the persecution of Hellenism ends. The word “ethnocide” does not appear even once in the book. And thus what began with a truth ends with a lie. However, this piece of propaganda is a perfect example of the contradictions that are so typical of modern Greek identity. More importantly, this comic-tragic attempt to save the narrative of Christianity’s “peaceful spread” demonstrates the incredibility and illogicality of the Greek state and the orthodox theocracy. So many years have passed since the founding of the modern Greek state in 1830, people have landed on the moon, and the Romaic establishment is still not capable of inventing a somewhat coherent story.
Despite this and other propaganda pieces, The Movement of Greek Citizens for the Secularization of the State (KEPEK), which advocates the separation of church and state, welcomes this step towards more “historical accuracy.” After all, it is a small step forward.
For many years, ethnic Hellenes, in particular, were told that their efforts have been in vain and that their actions would achieve nothing. But things start to change. A new book about Christianity’s persecution of Hellenism by Greek historian Tasos Zachariou will be published next month by iWrite publishing. The title is: “The Owed Apology.” The book is already being considered a hit and expected to open a new debate on the relations between Christianity and Hellenism, and Greece’s way of dealing with history, since the new book is not only about late antiquity but also about Hellenism in the middle ages and the shaping of modern Greek identity.
The Greek state can no longer afford the “wall of silence.” This shows that our efforts were not in vain. And they won’t be in the future, either.
_______________________________________________________
* Ethnikoi: followers of ethnic religions. “Ethnikoi” and “eidololatres” (idolaters, idol-worshippers) are the usual designations for polytheists, cosmotheists, animists etc. in Greece.
Hellenismos heute 