Greek in Denmark

Introduction / History

The Greeks are the descendants of the migrants from the Balkan Peninsula who came to Russia partly in the eighteenth century, but mostly in the nineteenth century. This migration was the result of the political situation from the Balkans and Russian-Turkish wars, leading to considerable movement of the population. The Christian population, oppressed and mercilessly robbed by the government of the Osman Empire, saw in Russia their liberator from the centuries-old Turkish oppression. They left their homes and followed the Russian army in masses.
In the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, the Greek rebels from Greece fought on the Russian side and, after the war, a considerable part of them settled in the Crimea. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Greek settlements had lost their military importance. The Greeks who lived in the steppe districts in the Crimea and on the coast, used the Tatar language (they were called Greeks-Tatars). The other part, which lived in the mountain regions, preserved their own language which was a dialect of the modern Greek language. This group was called "Greeks-Hellens."
Today there are Greeks who live in too many countries to mention. A small number live in Denmark.
Many Greeks came to Denmark as unskilled laborers in the 1960s. Some of them married Danish women, but these marriages often ended in divorce. After the divorce, Greek men usually returned to Greece. A smaller number of Greek refugees fled the Greek military junta of 1967–1974.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There are few Greeks in Denmark today. Denmark is home to both political and economic refugees from many different countries.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most are Greek Orthodox. This Christian tradition has deep roots. They have similarities to the Roman Catholic tradition, but they allow their clergy to marry.

What Are Their Needs?

Greeks in Denmark need to put their faith in Jesus Christ alone, not in any religious institution. Like many Europeans, the Greeks are leaning towards secularism, a spiritual mindset with no hope.

Prayer Points

Pray for spiritual hunger and a discernment that will keep Greeks away from spiritual counterfeits.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to revive the Greek Orthodox church, leading them to make disciples.
Pray for their fellowships to be Christ centered rather than tradition centered.
Pray there will soon come a day when the Greek people will send loving workers to the unreached people groups in their country.

Text Source:   Joshua Project