 In 1833 , the regents had unilaterally declared the Autocephaly of the Church of Greece . This was a recognition of the de facto political situation , as the Patriarch of Constantinople was partially under the political control of the Ottoman Empire . However , faithful people — concerned that having a Catholic as the head of the Church of Greece would weaken the Orthodox Church — criticised the unilateral declaration of Autocephaly as non @-@ canonical . For the same reason , they likewise resisted the foreign , mostly Protestant , missionaries who established schools throughout Greece . 
