At 12:30 pm on Sunday 01/15/2023, the sons of the former King of Greece Constantine Nikolaos and Philip arrived at the Diocese of Athens to arrange the final details of the funeral.
According to ERT, the doors of the Athenian metropolis were closed and entry was forbidden while the sons of the former king Constantine talked with the priests.
The funeral service is scheduled for 12 noon on Monday, January 16, which will be performed by Archbishop Jerome in the presence of twelve metropolitans from all over Greece – members of the Holy Synod. Earlier, in the chapel of St. Eleftherios, which is located next to the Metropolis of Athens, the coffin with the body of the late King Constantine will be placed in the public farewell hall (from 6 am to 10:45 am). The funeral itself will take place in Tatoi.
On the day of the funeral, it is possible that William and Kate will come to Athens as private individuals (and not on an official visit), since Constantine II, the former king of Greece, was also the nephew of Prince Philip and the godfather of Prince William, the main heir to the British throne.
Until late in the evening, the list of those invited to tomorrow’s funeral of the late Tsar Constantine in the Athens Metropolis was filling up, while most of the European persons of “blue blood” – relatives and close ones by blood of the deceased – had already begun to arrive in the capital of Greece.
60 people from our country and 130 from abroad were invited. According to the protocol, guests from royal houses – acting kings, crown princes and princes – will be located in a certain place allotted to them inside the church, according to rank.
The first row will house the family of the deceased – wife, children, the Queen Mother of Spain Sofia and Princess Irina (sisters). To the left of the family will be the current heads of state, namely the royal couple of Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden, Queen Margarita of Denmark, Prince Albert and Caroline of Monaco, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. Hierarchically behind the current ones will be the former kings, and behind them – the heirs to the thrones.
As for the ritual itself, the former king will be buried like an “ordinary person”. The only difference is that at the time when His Holiness Jerome will pronounce the name of the deceased – Constantine, it will be pronounced as “το όνομά του θα λένε και δίπλα Βασιλέως ημών γενόμενον“.
According to the Hellenic Olympic Committee flags at the Panathinaikos Stadium and the EOE offices are flown at half mast for the passing of the former king, who was honorary president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and sailing gold medalist in 1960.
More Stories
Low wages and inflation "drown" Greek youth
Greece becomes a 'safe haven' for German pensioners
The most "fragrant" Athens is recognized as the city in the world