Church authorities in Greece slap religious ban on local politicians who backed same-sex marriage
Athens, Greece AP Backlash from the Orthodox Church of Greece against a landmark law allowing same-sex civil marriage intensified Tuesday, with a regional bishopric imposing a religious ban on two local lawmakers who backed the reform. Church authorities on the north-western island of Corfu accused the two opposition lawmakers of committing “the deepest spiritual and moral error” […]
Updated: Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex civil marriage
Updated: 10:45am (AEDT) Athens, Greece AP Greece on Thursday became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex civil marriage, despite opposition from the influential, socially conservative Greek Church. A cross-party majority of 176 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament voted late Thursday in favour of the landmark bill drafted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ‘ center-right government. Another […]
Greek Orthodox Church: Marriage bill for LGBTQ couples tests church’s historic influence
The Greek Orthodox Church opposition to legalising marriage for anyone but traditional heterosexual couples is testing the church’s influence over Greek life. DAVID I KLEIN, of Religion News Service, reports…
Greek Church blasts proposed same-sex civil marriages, will present its views to congregations
Athens, Greece AP Greece’s influential Orthodox Church on Tuesday voiced strong opposition to the center-right government’s plans to legalise same-sex civil marriages, and said it would present its views to lawmakers and congregations nationwide. A statement by the church’s governing body, the Holy Synod, said that while legislation is parliament’s job, “that doesn’t relieve the Church of […]
Greek government says it stands by same-sex marriage pledge even after opposition from the church
Athens, GreeceAP Greece’s centre-right government said Thursday it would fulfill a commitment to legalize same-sex marriage, sidestepping staunch opposition from the country’s influential Orthodox Church. The legislation would be brought to parliament during the house’s current term, which ends in 2027, said government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis. The statement comes after the church’s governing Holy Synod issued […]
Hamas frees US hostages Judith and Natalie Raanan held in Gaza
Gaza/JerusalemReuters The Islamist group Hamas released two US hostages, mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, who were kidnapped in its attack on southern Israel on 7th October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Friday. The women, who were taken from Nahal Oz kibbutz, near the Gaza border, were on their way to a military base […]
Russian Patriarch reminds Africans of advantages in following Kremlin’s lead
RNS Meeting with African leaders late last month, Russian Patriarch Kirill boasted of the continued expansion of the Russian Orthodox Church in their countries, paralleling the strategy of the leaders’ host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to expand Kremlin influence across the continent. The Moscow Patriarchate said it had almost doubled its size in Africa since […]
Cyprus ex-bishop who indecently assaulted teen girl in 1981 gets suspended sentence
Nicosia, Cyprus AP A court in Cyprus on Thursday gave a former bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church to a 12-month suspended sentence after he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a 16-year-old girl 42 years ago. In passing sentence, Larnaca District Court Judge Evie Efthymiou noted the severity of the offense but said she […]
Greece asks others to ‘imitate’ Vatican return of Parthenon pieces
Vatican City Reuters The Vatican Museums gave Greece three 2,500-year-old pieces of the Parthenon on Tuesday and the Greek side said the gesture should be imitated by others, a likely reference to a collection of sculptures from the ancient temple that are held by Britain. The fragments have been in the papal collections of the […]
“The old is gone”: Ruins of Turkish city of Antakya tell story of a rich past
SARAH EL DEEB, of Associated Press, reports from the storied Turkish city…