The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece has reiterated its position on the recognition of civil same-sex marriages and the possibility for such couples to adopt children, the Orthodoxia News Agency reported.
The statement comes after Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled in March that the right of same-sex couples to adopt children is constitutional.
The Church of Greece had already expressed its stance in January 2024, emphasising that the Orthodox Church recognises only the Holy Mystery of Christian marriage.
“The Church’s theology of marriage derives from Holy Scripture, from the teaching of the Holy Fathers, and from the institution of the Holy Mystery of Marriage, as clearly expressed in its liturgical service. The purpose of Christian marriage is the creation of a sound marital union and family, the upbringing of children as the fruit of the spouses’ love in Christ, and their integration into the life of the Church,” the Synod said.
The Church also stressed that the duality of the sexes and their complementarity are not social constructs but are given by God. It added that the sacred bond between man and woman reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church, that Christian marriage is not merely a civil contract but a Holy Mystery, and that fatherhood and motherhood are integral to both childhood and adult life.
The Synod underlined that state legislation on such matters does not deprive the Church of its freedom of expression, its duty to inform the faithful, nor can it impose a different definition of sin.
Concerns over impact on children
The Church of Greece warned that such legislation abolishes fatherhood and motherhood, replacing them with a neutral concept of parenthood. It also expressed concern over the erosion of distinct family roles and the prioritisation of adults’ choices over the interests of future children.
“In this context, the Church of Greece opposes civil same-sex marriage also because it inevitably leads to same-sex parenthood through adoption or surrogacy,” the Synod said.
In 2024, the Holy Synod communicated its position both to members of the Greek Parliament and to the faithful through an encyclical letter.
Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency / Christos Bonis
