A unanimous “no” without asterisks was the result of the session of the Hierarchy of the Church that met with the sole topic of the proposed legislative arrangements for the marriage of same-sex couples and the legalization. In his brief introduction, Archbishop Hieronymos noted that “Obviously the State legislates, but this parameter neither deprives the Church of freedom of speech, nor relieves the Church of the duty to inform the faithful, nor can it indicate what sin consists of. The Church does not legislate and is not responsible for laws. If he remains silent, however, he bears a heavy responsibility and destroys himself.”

The meeting ended in a unanimous announcement with positions of the Churchwhile the circular that will be read in churches throughout the country is expected to be published, as well as the text –announcement with the positions of the Church. As has written since last Thursday, there will also be a text-letter to the parliamentarians and the government.

According to information, during the five-hour meeting of the highest organ of the Church, the positions of the most extreme hierarchs were also recorded. However, the metropolitans are authorized to take initiatives to make the reaction of the Church clear, but the Church says “no” to public gatherings, although such a possibility was raised by hierarchs.

The announcement of the Holy Synod follows:

NOTICE OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE HIERARCHY
OF THE CHURCH OF GREECE
FOR “SAME-SEX MARRIAGE” – “SAME-SEX PARENTHOOD”

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy (I.S.I.) of the Church of Greece convened in an extraordinary meeting, today, Tuesday, January 23, 2024, with the sole subject of the announced legislation on marriage and “childbearing” in favor of same-sex couples.
After the customary prayer, I.S.I. listened to the presentation of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki Mr. Nikolaos, on which a dialogue followed, and unanimously expresses the positions of the Church of Greece on the matter, as follows:

1. The theology of the Church on marriage derives from the Holy Bible, the teaching of the Fathers of the Church and the arrangement of the Sacrament of Marriage and is clearly seen in the Sequence of this Sacrament. The purpose of Christian marriage is the creation of a good marriage and family, the development of children as fruits of the love of the two spouses in Christ, and their connection to church life.

The Church accepts for the relationship between man-woman and children that:
a) the duality of the sexes and their complementarity are not social inventions, but come from God (“… and God created man, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And God blessed them , saying: “Increase and multiply…”, Genesis 1, 27-28),
b) the sanctity of the union of man and woman refers to the relationship between Christ and the Church (“… he who loves his wife loves himself… this is a great mystery, but I say to Christ and to the Church”, Rev. Paul, To Ephesians 5, 28),
c) Christian marriage is not a simple cohabitation agreement, but a Holy Sacrament, through which the grace of God is granted to the relationship of communion between a man and a woman with the aim of their common path towards theology – and this blessed path concerns all couples with or no children
d) father and mother are integral elements of childhood and adult life (“Honor your father and your mother”, Exodus 20, 12).

2. Obviously the State legislates, but this parameter neither deprives the Church of freedom of speech, nor relieves the Church of the duty of informing the faithful people, nor can it indicate what sin consists of. The Church does not legislate and is not responsible for laws. If he remains silent, however, he bears a heavy responsibility and destroys himself.

3. Since 2015, the cohabitation agreement provides same-sex couples with all the rights and possibilities of marriage with the main exception being the possibility of having children through adoption or surrogate pregnancy. The slogan of “marriage equality” aims at one goal, the procreation of children by “same-sex couples”.

4. It was announced that “same-sex marriage” and “same-sex parenthood” will be allowed through adoption and (in various ways) through surrogacy. The initiators of the bill and its supporters promote the abolition of fatherhood and motherhood and their transformation into neutral parenthood, the disappearance of gender roles within the family and put before the interests of future children the sexual choices of homosexual adults . Under the bill, same-sex single parents will be able to impose their partner as “father 2” or “mother 2” on their child.

5. This legislative initiative condemns future children to grow up without a father or mother in an environment of parental role confusion. The single-parent family is a different case. It causes deprivation of one parent, but not confusion of parental roles. In contrast, homosexual cohabitation causes both. In addition, these children will often not have the opportunity to meet their other biological parent. They will also not have the personal experience of the presence of the opposite sex (as opposed to their “same-sex parents”) in a heterosexual relationship. Children with fathers 1 and 2 or mothers 1 and 2 (or more) will be the victims of an unnatural birth mechanism.

6. It was announced that: a) it will be allowed for “same-sex couples” to adopt jointly and for adoption by the “same-sex spouse” of the parent (it will also apply to today’s children from surrogacy), b) it will not be allowed in Greece to surrogate pregnancy in favor of a “same-sex couple”, but this will be recognized if it was done legally in another state. These arrangements will create incentives for the exploitation of vulnerable women.

If the above mentioned applies, it is a mine-laden bill with contradictions and ways to circumvent its prohibitions (through pregnancies abroad) and it is possible that Greece will be condemned by the European Court of Human Rights due to discrimination, in which case the country will be forced to legislate on the territory as well her surrogate pregnancy.

7. The bill abolishes not only rules of bioethics, Christian values ​​and the Greek family tradition, but it overturns the rights of future children and gender roles as elements of the cohesion of society – and this concerns everyone, even if they do not accept Christian ethics. The question that remains unanswered is finally: What is the essential reason for this decision that completely and radically changes the institution of marriage and the status of parenthood and why is it being promoted with such persistence?


8. The Church of Greece recognizes only the Holy Sacrament of Christian marriage and rejects civil marriage regardless of gender. Here it is opposed to the civil marriage of “same-sex couples” on the additional ground that it inevitably leads to “same-sex parenthood” through adoption or surrogacy. This legislation conflicts both with Christian anthropology and with society’s duty to ensure children’s well-being and proper upbringing, but also with the children’s right to have paternal and maternal presence and care. For all the foregoing reasons and with a sense of pastoral responsibility and love, our Holy Church is strongly opposed to the proposed bill.

9. The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy decided: a) the drafting of a relevant letter with its positions to the honorable members of the Hellenic Parliament, b) the announcement of its positions in the Holy Temples on Sunday, February 4, 2024 and the distribution of a relevant brochure “To the People” through the Holy Churches and its website, c) the provision of authorization to each Reverend Metropolitan to proceed, within his province and at his discretion, in initiatives to inform and raise awareness regarding the upcoming legislation and the institution of family.

Ieronymos: New reality that alters the social cohesion of our country

It is noted that at the beginning of the meeting, Archbishop Hieronymos, in his short address, referred to the reason for his decision to convene the Body of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece in an extraordinary session and commenting on the law to be tabled, he emphasized that “this is a new reality, which aims not only to alter the social cohesion of our country, but also to introduce “new forms of family”, as well as to normalize the relationship between people of the same sex. At the same time, many challenges to the sacred and “great” mystery of marriage are being created, the traditional standards of father and mother are being affected, while changes are being attempted in the provisions of family law, with the central one of course being the institution of the family”.

The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Karystia and Skyros Mr. Seraphim, as Vice President of the Hierarchy, objected on behalf of the Most Reverend Hierarchs. Then, according to the Agenda, he read his Introduction His Eminence Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Mr. Nikolaos, on the subject: “Church and “institution of marriage between persons of the same sex””. The following sub-sections were developed in the Presentation: Today’s reality, Greek current affairs, right and obligation of the Holy Synod, biological background of sex, what is Marriage – Sanctification of sex, deviations from physiology, the value of man, consequences of the proposed law, legal dimension, general thoughts – brief comments, comment on the Government’s actions, concluding thoughts.