The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate convened at the Phanar, addressing the upcoming bill on same-sex marriage and adoption to be submitted by the Greek government.
The Synod reaffirmed the decision of the Holy and Great Council of Crete in June 2016, asserting that the Church does not recognise unions of same or opposite-sex couples or any other form of union apart from marriage. According to the Council, the “union of man and woman in Christ” represents a sacred institution, constituting “a small church or an image of the Church”.
The Synod clarified its stance, emphasising that individuals entering into other forms of union “should be treated with pastoral responsibility and love in Christ”. This reflects the commitment to compassionate pastoral care for all members of the Church, even as it upholds the traditional understanding of marriage.
Read the communiqué below:
The Holy and Sacred Synod, convened under the esteemed chairmanship of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during its session on Wednesday, 24 January 2024, wishes to address the devout faithful of the Ecumenical Throne regarding the ongoing discourse on the institutionalisation of same-sex marriage and adoption in Greece.
We reiterate the binding Decision of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, convened in Crete in June 2016. The Council unequivocally stated that “the Church does not accept for its members unions of same or opposite-sex couples and any other form of union apart from marriage.” It emphasised the sacred significance of the union of man and woman in Christ, describing it as a small church or an image of the Church (cf. “The mystery of marriage and its impediments,” I.10 and 4).
Simultaneously, we underscore that individuals within the Church who engage in alternative forms of union should be treated with pastoral responsibility and love in Christ.
Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod
Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate