Religious Rhetoric in 19th-century Greece: The example of Dionysios Latas and his relationship with the Jewish Community

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Published: Dec 9, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.39657
Keywords:
Religious rhetoric; Jews; Zakynthos; Fanaticism; Intolerance; Dionysios Latas; Social Cohesion; 19th-century Greece
Anastasios Er. Mandrapilias
Abstract

This article examines the historical and social relations between the Jewish community of Zakynthos and the local Christian population during the 19th century. It highlights the significant contribution of Bishop Dionysios Latas to the normalization of these relations through his powerful religious rhetoric and journalistic work in the newspaper Sion. The author explores how Latas utilized Christian ethics and the Greek tradition to combat religious fanaticism and intolerance, creating a new framework for accepting religious diversity. The study further discusses the legacy of Latas’s moderate stance, which paved the way for future acts of heroism by the Zakynthian clergy, most notably during the German Occupation, and emphasizes the role of the press in shaping public opinion regarding minority rights in 19th-century Greece.

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