Greek Archbishop Hails “Kapodistrias” Movie After Screening

Archbishop Ieronymos praised director Yiannis Smaragdis’ film Kapodistrias after attending a screening on Sunday afternoon alongside the filmmaker.

The Archbishop described the film as “a cardiogram of Greek history,” calling it a unique achievement and a genuine accomplishment. He said the story of Ioannis Kapodistrias reflected what happened in Greece in the past, continued to happen in the present, and would always remain relevant.

Smaragdis said he felt “particularly honoured” by the Archbishop’s presence. He described Ieronymos as the head of the Church of Greece and said the Archbishop came to watch the film’s portrayal of Kapodistrias, whom he referred to as a national leader of Greece.

The director said Kapodistrias remained present through the values he represented, including faith and devotion to the homeland and Orthodoxy. Smaragdis said these pillars shaped Kapodistrias’ public mission and guided his efforts to build a Greece rooted in belief and enduring Greek culture.

Haris Konidaris, the director of the Office of Information, Communication and Press of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens and its spokesperson, said the Archbishop wanted to see the film from its first day of release. He called the production an important lesson in Greek history and urged Greeks to watch it.

Konidaris also said the film highlighted the power of one individual to change the world through will and resilience. He stressed that Greece’s independence and freedom remained precious and required sacrifice and struggle.

Speaking as the Archbishop’s spokesperson, Konidaris said the Church of Greece had always stood by the nation and had contributed the blood of its clergy to Greece’s independence. He said the Church would continue to stand with Greece, describing this as a historical truth rooted in the Greek people.