Within just a few hours, Kythira found itself at the center of the nation's news agenda, with a news story that began on our island and grew into one of the biggest topics of discussion nationwide. The decision of the Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera and Antikythera to allocate the amount equivalent to double his salary toward housing for doctors and teachers, ... sparked an unprecedented wave of positive comments, «flooding» Greece’s media outlets, both large and small. The bishop’s action has been described as a «lesson in social responsibility» and as a resounding response to the government’s provocative stance.
The news, which was reported by dozens of media outlets across Greece, brought to the surface the strong sense of justice that society demands. At a time when the recent government decree (Article 56 of the Ministry of Finance’s bill) to nearly double the salaries of Metropolitans to 4,671.90 euros was causing outrage and «scandal» among the public, Metropolitan Seraphim chose a completely different path.
In a masterstroke, he announced that the financial surplus resulting from the increase would be transferred directly to the nonprofit association «Philostorgia – Tsirigotiki Social Care», for the sole purpose of purchase and construction of owner-occupied homes for providing free lodging to the island's doctors and teachers.
The news story gave the Athenian and regional media an opportunity to highlight the enormous problem plaguing Kythira, as well as the entire Greek archipelago: the housing crisis and understaffing.
The figures caused a stir:
The dramatic scene at the hospital: The fact that at the Kythira General Hospital, the costs are covered only 4 of the 14 physician positions, shocks the public.
The teachers' impasse: The observation that young people, teachers and professors, are arriving on the islands with salaries of 850 euros and are facing the high cost of living, has brought to light the real conditions in rural areas.
«When the government is unable or unwilling to provide incentives for scientists to work in rural areas, the local Church of Kythira steps in to provide a solution using its own resources.», was one of the dozens of comments that stood out.
The nationwide coverage of this issue is bringing Kythira into the spotlight for a deeply hopeful reason. Metropolitan Seraphim’s initiative is not merely a charitable gesture, but an act of immense symbolic significance.
