Kythira bishop declares 'spiritual mourning' over legalisation of gay marriage

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira. Photo: immorfou.org.cy

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera of the Greek Orthodox Church has declared a period of "spiritual mourning" in his diocese due to the legalisation of same-sex marriages, according to a message issued on the occasion of the beginning of Great Lent.

In his message, Metropolitan Seraphim reminded believers that in one of his recent encyclicals, he referred to the preparatory weeks for Great Lent as a "period of weeping and abundant tears in our Church due to the approval of an anti-Christian and unconstitutional bill on the 'marriage' of homosexuals."

The bishop reiterated that deputies who voted in favor of the same-sex marriage law are deprived of the opportunity to participate in the Sacrament of Communion, and declared the "Holy and Great Lent and the Holy and Great Week, which begin tomorrow, as a period of spiritual sorrow for our diocese."

Metropolitan Seraphim emphasized that "these two solemn periods of our Church by their nature are periods of spiritual sorrow."

"However, due to the aforementioned additional reason, the spiritual sorrow in our Metropolis is intensified so that we understand the great disaster that is looming over our Orthodox people if we do not repent in time," stressed the hierarch.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira excommunicated deputies who supported the LGBT community from the Church.

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