Arr! Greece be ready to give a hearty 'aye' to same-sex matrimony, givin' a right good shake to Orthodox customs!
2024-02-10
Arr, mateys! Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis be plannin' to sail the ship o' marriage equality across the seven seas! The Greek Orthodox Church be shoutin' warnings from the crow's nest, but Mitsotakis be sayin', "Avast ye! Full steam ahead!"
Greece is on the cusp of legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the nation, much to the chagrin of the Greek Orthodox Church. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a self-proclaimed center-right politician, plans to push the legislation forward with the help of left-wing lawmakers, as he lacks support from a substantial faction of his own party. The Greek Orthodox Church, which claims to represent around 90% of the Greek population, vehemently opposes the proposal. Last month, the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece unanimously declared that same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples were unacceptable. The church insists that while the state has the power to legislate, it cannot dictate what constitutes sin or impede the church's freedom of speech. The Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus even suggested that those who support the legislation should no longer be considered members of the church. Mitsotakis, however, argues that the legislation is a matter of equality and avoiding a societal divide. He firmly stated that theological beliefs should not influence decisions of the Greek state. The controversy surrounding the issue underscores the increasing divide between secular Greek leaders and the religious identity of the population. The prime minister and his coalition are expected to pass the proposal on February 15th.