Rural resurrection: A Greek village leans into faith in fight against demographic collapse

Associated Press

FOURNA, Greece (AP) — In the remote mountains of central Greece lies Fourna, a village in danger of disappearing due to its aging population. An unlikely duo, the local priest and a schoolteacher, has joined forces to raise money to attract families and breathe life back into their community. The grassroots effort has brought more children to the school and is attracting national attention in a country grappling with one of the world’s worst demographic crises. In Greece, deaths outnumber births by nearly two-to-one. The Orthodox Church argues that incentives being offered by the government are welcome but insufficient to reverse the dire trends. The church is pleading with Greeks to restore their traditional faith in family.