The Holy Synod of Catholic Bishops of Greece made their first statement as the same-sex marriage and parenting debate intensifies, stating that if it were to be introduced, it would be a "point of decline of Greek society."
The announcement:
"The government's legislative initiative regarding marriage for same-sex couples is being promoted with the excuse that it settles outstanding issues, satisfies fair demands for equality and human rights of some citizens.
"First of all, the claim that marriage is simply a legal construction based on the competence of the legislator or on the will of individual groups of citizens based on their sexual orientation or, in general, their choices is unfounded. The argument that invokes equal rights between citizens is also unfounded because the heterosexual couple and the same-sex couple are different realities.
"In particular, the government's proposal changes the definition of marriage and family, a fact that affects all Greek society, all families, all citizens, all parents, all children, and in general social mores. In this case, it changes the concept of parental responsibility. It changes the concept of father and mother and their responsibility in raising their children. It changes the composition of the family and the contribution of the two biological parents to family life.
"The legislative proposal under discussion denies children the right to live with a father and mother and denies the model of father and mother, the otherness that constitutes the human psyche. It denies children the knowledge of their origin and identity. It introduces a new mentality and mindset in education and our country's schools.
"The settlement of outstanding issues concerning children who were, for various reasons, the responsibility of same-sex couples or inheritance and financial matters could be settled by legislation without adopting marriage for same-sex couples, with changes that have no precedent in the history of mankind.
"This proposal is a setback to our legal culture, a setback to morals and culture in general. It is a point of decline of Greek society; every society that wants to be called human is a product of arrogance and self-centeredness that knows no limits to individual desire and will.
"We are troubled by the submissiveness of our political world to the wishes and whims of a certain internationally promoted ideological trend. Greece is a country with a centuries-old, rich tradition that culturally nourished European and world culture. It cannot deny its tradition and identity and submit to ideological proposals and perceptions without moral and cultural background, without wisdom and sensitivity to cultural and religious heritage.
"We, the Catholic Bishops in Greece, in agreement with the worldwide Catholic Church, confess that all people without exception, whatever their situation and life, are called with the same love by God to know and accept him in Christ's gift of the fullness of life. All Christians must keep this call before our eyes. In addition, as pastors, we also have to explain what cooperates with God's completion of man and what opposes it, according to the Word of God and the historical experience of the Church.
"We therefore want to declare our complete opposition to the change in the meaning of marriage and family that is being attempted to be imposed on society. We repeat that marriage is a bond between a man and a woman, exclusive and permanent; its natural fruit is children, in the upbringing of which the father and the mother have joint and inalienable obligations, which the state must respect since they also pre-exist with the same.
"As pastors of the Catholic Church in Greece, we want to emphasise that the call to marriage is inscribed in the very nature of man and woman as created by the Creator... even if the sanctity of this institution is not evident everywhere in the same way. However, there is a sense of the greatness of the union of marriage in all cultures. The happiness of man and human and Christian society is closely connected with the successful union of marriage and family. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1602 and 1603)
"The conscientious Christian, the consistent Catholic believer, but also the citizen of goodwill who aims for the common good of society, precisely because he believes in the fundamental importance and sanctity of the institution of marriage and the family, cannot accept the socially harmful arrangements of the declared promoted legislative initiative.
"For the Holy Synod of the Catholic Hierarchy of Greece
"Bishop of Syros, Thira and Crete, President of ISKIE, Petros and Archbishop of Naxos - Tinos - Andros - Mykonos and Chios, Secretary of ISKIE Joseph."
Greece’s government set to legalise same-sex marriage with the backing of the opposition.
A plan to legalise same-sex civil marriage and adoption pushed by the centre-right Greek government is set to be approved by Parliament thanks to the backing of the left-wing opposition, despite backlash from the Orthodox Church.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s plans to legalise same-sex marriage in the country and allow adoption for LGBTQ+ couples obtained the crucial backing of the left-wing opposition on Thursday.
Stefanos Kasselakis, the openly gay ex-banker leading the radical left party Syriza, said that he would instruct his 38 lawmakers to vote for the proposal, even though he criticised the measure for not going far enough on parenthood rights.
Kasselakis, who married his husband in New York in October 2023, has expressed the desire to have children through a surrogate mother—a practice that has recently received condemnation by Pope Francis and which has been made illegal in Italy.
The new measure pushed forward by Mitsotakis doesn’t allow same-sex couples to acquire children through surrogate motherhood in the future. Full parental rights would be granted to same-sex couples that already have children.
The country currently only allows that procedure in the cases of women - single or married - who are unable to bear children on health grounds. As well as heterosexual couples, single men or women are allowed to adopt.
A previous draft of the law proposed earlier this week would have allowed the right to parenthood through surrogate mothers.
In an interview with private Star TV, the politician said that despite its “imperfections”, the proposal unveiled by the prime minister on Wednesday contains “some positive elements”.
Greece has already legalised same-sex partnerships in 2015.
The backing of the opposition would ensure that the law passes the 300-seat parliament despite a dozen lawmakers in Mitsotakis’s centre-right party, New Democracy, objecting to it. The party has a total of 158 lawmakers in parliament.
Kasselakis has criticised the prime minister for refusing to force all of his lawmakers to back a human rights issue, calling out his “political cowardice.” Mitsotakis was reelected for his second term in a landslide victory only six months ago.
But the most vocal criticism of the plan has come from the country’s Orthodox Church, which still wields a massive influence on Greece and has warned that the law could be the first step in the dismantling of Greek society. According to the church, allowing for same-sex marriage is the first step towards gay families assuming parental rights.
But Mitsotakis has fought back on the criticism, saying that they would listen to the views of the Church, but ultimately, “it is the state that legislates.”
“What we are going to legislate is marriage equality, which means the elimination of any discrimination based on sexual orientation,” he said in an interview with country broadcaster ERT. “It is not something radically different from what applies in other European countries.”
Right-wing parties in parliament also oppose the measure.
Opinion polls suggest Greeks are evenly divided on the issue of same-sex marriage but opposed to extending full parental rights to gay or lesbian couples.
A poll by Pulse for Skai gathered responses from 1,107 participants between December 18 and 20 and found that 52% of respondents harbour a positive view on same-sex marriage, with a notable 20% in full support and an additional 32% expressing no objection. A substantial minority of 33% would prefer that same-sex marriage not be legalised in Greece.
According to an ALCO poll, the ruling New Democracy is recording losses due to the debate on same-sex marriage, mainly towards the right-wing Greek Solution, with 49% openly disagreeing with same-sex marriage (58% among New Democracy voters), while 35% of respondents appear in favour (28% of New Democracy voters).
READ MORE: Newsbomb Poll: 89% of Greeks say “no” to same-sex marriages and adoptions.
