A request for the Holy Synod to participate in the discussion on the bill had been submitted by the Greek Solution, Niki, and the Spartans, who, however, voted in the minority.
Same-sex couples: The Holy Synod was excluded from the discussion of the bill – TO VIMA
The Holy Synod will not discuss the bill on same-sex couples, as decided by the competent committee of the Parliament.
In a relevant resolution, held in committee, the majority of its members voted against the participation of the Holy Synod from the discussion of the bill. “The Holy Synod has nothing more to offer,” said the committee’s chairman, Lazaros Tsavdaridis.
A request for the Holy Synod to participate in the discussion on the bill had been submitted by the Greek Solution, Niki and the Spartans, who however voted in the minority. The Holy Synod and the Monastic Community of Mount Athos will not be invited to the hearing of bodies, as requested by these parties.
Statement by Mr Tsavdaridis (New Democracy MP from Hmathia, Macedonia, Greece)
“There is a proposal to invite the Holy Synod and the Monastic Community of Mount Athos. I believe that Orthodoxy in Greece is expressed only by the Church of Greece, the Church of Crete, and the holy Metropolises of the Dodecanese. Mount Athos is a monastic community and not a Church. In relation to the Holy Synod and the Church, everyone has spoken publicly about this bill.
Indeed, yesterday morning in the Churches of the country, during the Sunday Liturgy, an encyclical of the Holy Synod was read, expressing the Church’s opposition to the bill on marriage for same-sex couples as well as to the issue of adoption for same-sex couples. Also, a letter has been sent to all MPs by the Holy Synod regarding the views of the Church on the bill under consideration.
All of us parliamentarians are well aware of the positions of the Holy Synod, and a personal letter has been sent to each of us. Obviously, we fully respect the Church and its guaranteed right to express itself freely and defend its positions. So, I don’t think it has anything more to offer,” Tsavdaridis said.
I’m with the Metropolitan in the Church of Greece (I forgot which one) who said that any MP who votes for this travesty of a bill should be excommunicated.
Petros, that’s Seraphim
The church does not consult the state in matters of the soul. The state does not and should not have to consult the church, other than as individual private citizens, expressing their opinion. Christ said that “my kingdom is not of this world”. John 18:36.
This is not always the case for Greece especially (but also other European countries). If you are too monolithic on this issue you will go down this sliding slope and end up where some have asked to remove the cross from the Greek flag!! The same with the Swedish, Finish, Norwegian and Danish Flags!!
I consider the Greek flag one of the most beautiful flags of all nations. Not because I’m Greek, but because the blue and white represents the nature of Greece so well. How beautiful the flag looks when it waves over the sea. No other nation has a flag that represents the country so well. And the cross is part of it. I dont know about the distant future, but, I hope it never happens. I know no people alive today will see such an abomination.
So why don’t Niki, the Spartans, Velopoulos, and KKE join forces to ask for a “non-confidence” vote, and turn things upside down in Parliament, and bring the country closer to forced elections?
Good idea – I am wondering whether they have thought about it.