Those members of the Greek parliament who voted to legalize same-sex "marriage" violated the will of God and insulted God, thereby incurring His judgment. And if they had remained silent, they would have become accomplices of iniquity and would have also brought God's judgment upon themselves, are convinced the monastics who signed a statement in connection with the shameful vote on same-sex "marriage" that took place in mid-February.
The statement, replete with quotes from Scripture and the Holy Fathers, was signed by the abbots and prioresses of 35 monasteries throughout Greece, including the Athonite monasteries of Xyropotamos, Dochiar, Karakalos, Philotheos and Konstamonitis.
Unless they publicly repent, the MPs concerned will not be welcome in the monasteries whose abbots and abbesses have signed the statement, and if they do visit those monasteries of their own volition, they will not be honored there.
The text of the statement follows:
"It is with great sorrow that we, abbesses and abbesses of the holy monasteries and hermitages of our homeland, have witnessed the terrible fall of the Greek government and parliament.
At midnight on February 15, 2024, an act worse than the fall of a city was committed in the Greek Parliament: a vile law to legally recognize the unnatural union between homosexuals as "marriage." on a par with traditional Orthodox Christian marriage, was approved by a majority vote of baptized Orthodox Christians. This unwise recognition of the abomination brought the god-abominable heresy of the Nicolaitans to our heroic and sacred homeland. To our sorrow, the rulers have reached the point of manic striving for "liberation" from all moral laws and barriers, despising God's Law and legitimizing sin that is diametrically opposed to His holy will.
They forget the words of God to the angel of the church of Pergamos, recorded in the holy book of the Revelation of John the Evangelist. Here it is explicitly stated that God hates the abominable heresy of the Nicolaitans, who consider moral decay (including homosexuality) as something normal and acceptable (cf. Rev. 2:14-16).
God's condemnation of Sodom is known to all, leaving no room for doubt that the consequences of such sin are death, destruction and destruction. The silent but frightening image of the Dead Sea has consistently rebuked blasphemers throughout the ages. It is an irrefutable testimony to God's absolute abhorrence of this sin and the subsequent punishment and destruction of the guilty.
Despite these undeniable truths, the elected representatives of the people in Parliament have desecrated, violated the eternal and inviolable boundaries of the orthodox faith, morality and anthropology, despite the unequivocal opposition of the vast majority of Greek citizens to the shameful bill.
Do they realize that they will inevitably stand before the Judge - God? How will they appear then at the Last Judgment, if today they mock and ridicule God and people so shamelessly? Do they forget that "God will not be mocked" (Galatians 6:7)?
And we, baptized Orthodox Christians, what excuse can we have for allowing and legitimizing such sin? How can we be justified when, despite the fact that throughout history we have been a people whom God has blessed many times, we have failed to stand up and defend His commandments? Our "tolerance" and silence in the face of such a blasphemous law actually makes us complicit in iniquity.
St. John Chrysostom asks in astonishment: "When divine laws are violated, is he who keeps silent and does not notice this not worthy of punishment?" Also St. Basil the Great proclaims: "He who is silent, agrees!" And the Venerable Theodore the Studite, the Confessor, says: "For the commandment of the Lord is not to be silent, at a time when faith is in danger. Speak," He said, "and do not be silent. Therefore I, too, unhappy, speak, fearing judgment" ("Rules of Behavior in Times of the Reign of Heresy," Part 4).
Our glorious ancestors fought bravely. for the triad of Orthodox civilization: "Faith - Fatherland - Family". At the cost of many sacrifices, they managed to make our God-honored homeland respected by all. What is happening in our country today, they did not even want to put into words; it is "a monstrous sin that language refuses to name".
Therefore, fearing, above all, to upset and (much more importantly) offend our Holy Triune God by our silence, we declare that:
We no longer invite either the parliamentarians who did not vote against the immoral law or members of the present government to any events in our holy cloisters. Until they repent, they had better not appear on the grounds of our monasteries. If, despite our prohibition, they do voluntarily decide to do so, they will not be honored here, for they no longer deserve it.
Our position will not change until they publicly and actively repent (which we hope and pray for) and take the appropriate steps to repeal the shameful law. "For He causes wounds, and He Himself binds them; He afflicts, and His own hands heal" (Job 5:18).
Our decision is an expression of humanity, love and human respect for both them and the citizens who elected them to represent them. Since they are publicly have violated the law and the will of God and the people, they are publicly censured, accused and condemned.
And, trusting in the mercy and patience of our Holy Triune God, we pray for our God-saved and beloved homeland. We call upon all conscientious Christians to remain firm and steadfast in upholding the Apostolic and Holy Theological Tradition of our Church."
Recall that despite the stubborn opposition of the Church and society, late in the evening of February 15, the Greek Parliament voted to legalize same-sex "marriage" and allow adoption of children by same-sex couples. 176 of the 300 members of parliament voted in favor of the relevant law, 76 voted against, 2 abstained, and 46 were not present. Protest statements in this regard came from the Holy Synod of the Hellenic Church, the Diocesan Synod of the Cretan Bishops, from the Holy Mount Athos, and from numerous hierarchs and clergy throughout the country. In addition, 140 Greek Orthodox associations stood together against this law.
A little later, one after another, three dioceses of the Hellenic Church excommunicated all local deputies who voted in favor of legalizing sodomy. The Metropolis of Piraeus was the first to do so, followed by the Metropolis of Kythira and Antikythera, as well as the Metropolis of Kerkyra, Paxia and the Metropolis of the Diapontine Islands.
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