The economic crisis seems to affect the Church deeply as well, as in the last five years Church of Greece revenues have decreased by 70%. According to “Greek Reporter”, believers have become spare with their offers and donations while the number of sacraments performed in churches has dropped. Meanwhile, almost 60% of buildings belonging to the Church remain vacant and unimproved. Paying of dividends has stopped since 2008. As estimated by the Holy Synod, one-fourth of the Church’s real estate properties have been vacant for a long time. The revenues of the Central Ecclesiastical Financial Service have also dropped to 9.33 million euros in 2012 and 7.4 million euros in 2013, against 10 million euros in 2011.
The ecclesiastical property includes 300 frozen properties, 570 properties, apartments, offices, 225,000 acres of forestland, 7,400 acres of grassland and 440 plots within the urban planning zone.