On 30 April 2004 Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople announced the breach of the eucharistic communion with Archbishop Christodoulos, Primate of the Church of Greece. This unprecedented decision came as a result of a lengthy dispute between the two Churches over control of dioceses in northern Greece. The spat flared after 26 April, when the Synod of the Church of Greece under Archbishop Christodoulos elected three metropolitans, including the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, without seeking approval from Constantinople.

The Patriarch’s decision to break eucharistic communion with the Archbishop was approved by the meeting of the Extended Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, consisting of 41 bishops. Commenting on the meeting’s results in his open letter to the Greek nation, Patriarch Bartholomew said: ‘We have exhausted all our efforts for peace and unity. Today we have taken this unanimous decision with pain in our souls… We cannot communicate with a brother who only in words respects the Mother Church… The Mother Church gave the Church of Greece... its house to look after, and now it is stated that the house should belong to him because many years have passed’.

In his turn, Archbishop Christodoulos described the Patriarch’s decision as unjust. ‘Our actions have been in accordance with 75 years of peaceful practice – nothing more, nothing less,’ he said. ‘Despite my personal bitterness... the Church of Greece will continue to support the Ecumenical Patriarchate just as it always has.

The Synod in Constantinople warned the three newly-elected Metropolitans that Eucharistic communion will be broken with them also if they assume their duties.

The Synod went even further by threatening to abolish a 1928 agreement with Greece and the Church of Greece and take direct control of the disputed diocese. This effectively means that the very idea of autocephaly of the Church of Greece may eventually be put into question.