The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece on Wednesday released a detailed policy statement on the issue of cremation for the Orthodox faithful, which it opposes, implementing a decision taken earlier this month by hierarchs of the Permanent Holy Synod to commence such an information campaign.
According to reports, the number of cremations recorded in Greece in the two months since the opening and operation of the first crematorium in the country is lower than expectations by the proponents of this form of interment.
A relevant Church pamphlet, entitled “Towards the People”, will be distributed by the Holy Synod to all Metropolises in the country, clearly explaining the Church’s position regarding cremation.
The Church of Greece also reiterated that people who, while living, choose cremation after death will not have Orthodox clerics in the country officiate at a religious funeral service.
In a very straight-forward statement, the Church pamphlet underlines that “dead bodies are not refuse; they are not useless objects, that must be surrendered to fire and fragmentation, in other words, to a violent extinction.”