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THE CONSTITUTION OF GREECE
1308
Church of Christ of the same doctrine, observing unwaveringly, as they do, the holy apos-
tolic and synodal canons and sacred traditions. It is autocephalous and is administered by
theHoly Synod of serving Bishops and the Permanent Holy Synod originating thereof and
assembled as specifiedby the Statutory Charter of the Church in compliancewith the pro-
visions of the Patriarchal Tome of June 29, 1850 and the Synodal Act of September 4, 1928.
2.
The ecclesiastical regime existing in certain districts of the State shall not be deemed
contrary to the provisions of the precedingparagraph.
3.
The text of the Holy Scripture shall be maintained unaltered. Official translation of the
text into any other formof language, without prior sanctionby theAutocephalous Church
of Greece and theGreat Church of Christ inConstantinople, is prohibited.
PARTTWO
Individual andSocial Rights
Article 4
1.
All Greeks are equal before the law.
2.
Greekmen andwomen have equal rights and equal obligations.
3.
All persons possessing the qualifications for citizenship as specified by law are Greek
citizens. Withdrawal of Greek citizenship shall be permitted only in case of voluntary ac-
quisition of another citizenship or of undertaking service contrary to national interests in
a foreign country, under the conditions andproceduresmore specifically providedby law.
4.
Only Greek citizens shall be eligible for public service, except as otherwise provided by
special laws.
5.
Greek citizens contribute without distinction to public charges in proportion to their
means.
6.
Every Greek capable of bearing arms is obliged to contribute to the defence of the Fa-
therland as providedby law.
7.
Titles of nobility or distinction are neither conferred upon nor recognized in Greek citi-
zens.
Interpretative clause:
The provisionof paragraph6does not preclude that the lawprovides for themandato-
ry performance of other services, within or outside the armed forces (alternative serv-
ice), by those having a substantiated conscientious objection to performing armed
service or, generally, military duties.