Greece’s First Digital Donation Church Draws National Buzz

A Roman Catholic cathedral in Athens has become the first church in Greece to implement digital giving technology for donations, drawing widespread attention from national media and religious observers. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, located in central Athens, recently installed a contactless Point of Sale (POS) device to accommodate the growing number of cashless visitors wanting to contribute financially.

This move, while common in churches across Western Europe and parts of Africa, is unprecedented in Greece, where traditional Orthodox practices dominate. The POS device allows donations ranging from one cent to €1,000, simply by tapping a card. Its presence marked a notable shift in a country where digital church donations have yet to gain significant traction. On its first Sunday in use, national TV crews were on hand to document the device, though it initially remained unused.

According to Fr. Georgios Dangas, the parish priest, the idea for the contactless system came from tourists. Many international worshippers arrived without cash but expressed a desire to donate. Recognizing this need, the church decided to modernize its giving process. “The expenses of running the church, the salaries of the priests and the charity work are not paid by either the Greek state or the Vatican, so the contributions were vital,” said Dangas, underscoring the financial motivation behind the decision.

The installation has sparked curiosity among neighboring Orthodox churches, some of which are reportedly considering similar setups. With contactless transactions becoming the norm across many sectors, this move signals a potential cultural and technological shift in how church donations are handled in Greece.

For more details, refer to the original article on Premier Christian News.