21 November 2024

RETIREMENT HOMES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN GREECE

“THE GOOD SAMARITAN”

The  Elderly Care Unit “The Good Samaritan” under the auspices of the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Athens has been operating since 1976 and is housed in privately owned and custom-built premises in Pefki. It takes care of senior citizens under excellent and safe living conditions, following the basic moral values and principles of the Sisters of Mercy to whom the responsibility of the institution has been assigned.

The history of the institution goes back to 1939 when it was functioning as an organization for the provision of medical and pharmaceutical care. Its headquarters were on Filellinon street. Later on, the Catholic Archdiocese in Athens, in its effort to keep developing the organization’s action, converted it into a retirement home, with the aim of providing food and shelter to the destitute and underprivileged senior citizens.

The Institution has a capacity of accommodating 64 people.

From the very first day of its operation, it has taken care of more than 1000 people with absolute respect and discretion.

“HOLY CROSS”

The Retirement Home “Holy Cross” of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross was established in 1939 and has been operating in the facilities of the Monastery in Agia Paraskevi, Attica, since 1964 with a capacity of accommodating 22 senior women.

The nursing home has served more than 300 people over the years until today. It has specially attended to the fact that every single person must receive the appropriate care and be respected throughout their life.

-“SAINT JOSEPH”

The Elderly Care Unit “Saint Joseph” of the Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zante and Cephalonia was established in 1927 and its construction works were completed a decade later.

Initially, the unit operated in the premises of the community, but later on it was transferred in an adjacent area of the Monastery of the Franciscan Friars of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Malta (est. 1862, year of settlement in Corfu: 1907) who manage the missionary institution to the present day.

In 2007 there was a radical renovation and extension of the buildings with a capacity of accommodating 40 people.

“VIRGIN MARY OF HOPE”

The Sanctuary “Virgin Mary of Hope” of the Sisters of Mercy has been operating since 1977 in Ano Syros accommodating 24 senior citizens.

The Sisters of Mercy first came to Greece in 1841 and settled in Santorini. They remained there for 116 years until 1957 offering their service to the poor of the island in various ways.

They settled in Ermoupoli, Syros in 1884. In the beginning of the 20th century they started the construction of the Institution which has functioned until 1974 as a school, orphanage, boarding school and French School under the name of “Saint Vincent”.

In 1975, construction works began for the conversion of the building into a retirement home. 

“BETHANY HOME OF PROVIDENCE”

The Philanthropic Institution “Bethany Home of Providence” was established in 1959 with an Episcopal decree of the Greek Catholic Exarchate fr. Yakinthos Gad and has operated as a retirement home until 2012, at which time it came to private ownership.

In its 53 years of operation, it has accommodated over 1000 senior citizens by providing them full medical and pharmaceutical care in modern self-owned facilities in the heart of 40-acre pine area in Nea Makri, Attica, 32 kilometers from the center of Athens.