World Notes GREECE

In the 160 years since a Greek Orthodox priest first raised the banner of revolution against Ottoman rule, affairs of church and state in Greece have been closely intertwined. Last week in Athens the church, under the leadership of Archbishop Seraphim, again raised its standard, this time against the Socialist government of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Black-robed priests joined more than 50,000 supporters outside Parliament, waving crucifixes and chanting, "Hands off the church."

The protests fell on deaf ears. Parliament passed a controversial bill aimed at stripping the church of control of much of its property. At stake are 325,000 acres of farmland that the government wants for state-run collective farms. While church leaders have vowed to fight the legislation in the courts if necessary, some observers say the stage is now set for a second round of bargaining that could end in a face-saving compromise acceptable to both sides.