Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage

 

Greek Parliament Building in Athens, Greece. / Credit: Andrey Starostin/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Feb 16, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Greece this week legalized same-sex marriage at the national level, becoming the first officially Orthodox Christian country to do so.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on social media on Thursday that the measure had passed the Hellenic Parliament and that Greece was “proud to become the 16th [European Union] country to legislate marriage equality.”

“This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece — a progressive and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” Mitsotakis said.

Just over a majority of lawmakers — 176 of 300 — voted in favor of the measure, while 76 rejected it. Several dozen more were not present and two lawmakers abstained.

Greece is the first country with Orthodox Christianity as its official religion to recognize same-sex marriage. The law also permits same-sex couples to adopt children.

The country had for years already extended some rights to cohabiting same-sex couples such as employment benefits.

The Greek Constitution stipulates that “the prevailing religion in Greece is that of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ.”

“The Orthodox Church of Greece, acknowledging Our Lord Jesus Christ as its head, is inseparably united in doctrine with the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople,” the constitution says, “and with every other Church of Christ of the same doctrine, observing unwaveringly, as they do, the holy apostolic and synodal canons and sacred traditions.”

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece had previously come out against the proposed legislation, saying in a statement last month that “the duality of the sexes and their complementarity are not social inventions but come from God.”

“Christian marriage is not a simple cohabitation agreement but a holy sacrament, through which the grace of God is granted to the communion relationship of a man and a woman with the aim of their common path to theology,” the synod said.

“Obviously the state legislates,” the synod pointed out, “but this parameter neither deprives the Church of freedom of speech, nor relieves the Church of the duty to inform the faithful.”

With Greece’s vote, 21 European countries officially recognize same-sex marriage, while several more acknowledge some form of same-sex union.


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4 Comments

  1. The plot thickens…
    FIRST, we’ve already heard that the Churches IN THE WEST are divided (not really “churches,” because lacking the Apostolic Succession…so therefore “ecclesial communions”). And, now the NATION-STATE coinciding more or less with the Greek Orthodox Church has jumped atop the bandwagon, or whatever. Earlier, we heard that the Orthodox Churches themselves were upset, especially from Metropolitan Hilarion from Budapest, of the Russian Orthodox Church, who expressed “great shock when he read this document.” https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2024/01/19/vatican-prefect-fiducia-supplicans-draws-some-negative-reactions-from-christian-leaders/

    SECOND, and the document’s ongoing odor-of-unsanctity has forced a division within the LATIN CHURCH itself, which used to be centered in Rome (that is, a polyhedron that used to have a center?). Still with affirmation of true faith and morals from all of continental Africa, plus Poland, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Peru, and parts of France, Spain and Argentina.

    THIRD, these are historic times somewhat comparable to the ARIAN HERESY which attempted to unravel the nature of the Triune God and reintroduce polytheism. Today, cometh the great unraveling of the nature of Man, instead, with a polyglot morality. Cleverly less than a direct heresy, but leading to heresy https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/02/does-fiducia-supplicans-affirm-heresy

    FOURTH, Cardinal Fernandez’s ALMOST-HERESY was anticipated and guarded against in Veritatis Splendor whereby morality is now explicitly part of the Magisterium:

    “A separation, or even an opposition, is thus established in some cases between the teaching of the precept, which is valid and general, and the norm of the individual conscience, which would in fact make the final decision [no longer a ‘moral judgment’] about what is good and what is evil. On this basis, an attempt is made to legitimize so-called ‘pastoral’ solutions [!] contrary to the teaching of the Magisterium, and to justify a ‘creative’ hermeneutic according to which the moral conscience is in no way obliged, in every case, by a particular negative precept [“Thou shalt not…!]” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 56).

    AND, “This is the first time, in fact, that the MAGISTERIUM of the Church [caps added] has set forth in detail the fundamental elements of this [‘moral’] teaching, and presented the principles for the pastoral discernment necessary in practical and cultural situations which are complex and even crucial” (n. 115). “The Church is no way [!] the author or the arbiter of this [‘moral’] norm” (n. 95).

    So, THEREFORE, the divisive Fernandez half-step: A “blessing” purported to not be a blessing, for irregular “couples” purported to not be couples. While Fernandez hasn’t yet crossed the line of heresy (next up, female deacons?), but he has KISSED it!

    Fiducia Supplicans = Beach house grooming on Vatican letterhead.

  2. Sure that’s where it originated from and they even had it down as an art form with older men corrupting young men as a guide to ” breaking them in”! Get ready people all of this is going to make Sodom as amateurs!!!!!

  3. Let’s be realistic. Almost 60% of all members of parliament and nearly 70% of all MPs who voted did so in favor. Neither of those margins are “just over a majority.” This bill was resoundingly approved by the Greek parliament. The Greek church (and every other) is not required to either perform or recognize the marriages. I suspect nothing will change all that dramatically – just like in the other 36 countries that already allow same gender couples to marry.

3 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

  1. Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage | Franciscan Sisters of St Joseph (FSJ) , Asumbi Sisters Kenya
  2. Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage – Via Nova
  3. SATVRDAY EVENING EDITION • BigPulpit.com

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