Hierarch of the Phanar: Our arms are open to gays
Archbishop Evgenios of Crete. Photo: infonavigator.com.ua
Hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate, Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, stated that "our arms are open" to homosexuals.
During the television program "Antithesis" on Crete TV, Archbishop Evgenios said that"we do not have any concerns regarding homosexual people," and "our arms are open for these individuals" because "they are our brothers and sisters; they are people who have just a different sexual orientation, that’s all."
"I am not worthy to judge any of them. Christ told us not to judge so that you would not be judged. So whoever says something against these individuals, who need love most of all, they did not take a minute to think about how they have become what they are, their childhood or their traumas...," said the hierarch of the Phanar.
Also, in his opinion, homosexuals are subjected to attacks in society, "We help these individuals by telling them that what they do is due to spiritual weakness. That’s all."
"We neither condemn them, nor do we castigate them. If we see them at the edge of the cliff, we won’t give them a push.. They need our love. ...> Those who try with dilemmas or false dilemmas to divide us aren’t very helpful, I must say," believes the Archbishop of Crete.
Earlier, UOJ reported that Patriarch Bartholomew had an audience with a Greek gay politician.
Read also
Orthodox and Catholic bishops make joint visit to Mount Athos
The head of the Phanar blessed a joint pilgrimage to Mount Athos by Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishops.
UOC Kryvyi Rih Eparchy marks 30th anniversary
Metropolitan Yefrem led the anniversary Divine Liturgy in Kryvyi Rih.
Ostapenko: Everyone in UCCRO feels fine except the “FSB UOC”
The director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve called the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches “a wonderful organization.”
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy donates funds for treatment of 12-year-old girl
UOC believers raised UAH 20,000 for Anastasiia Mamchur as part of an eparchial charity campaign.
Shevchuk: We had to convince world UOC ban does not violate religious freedom
The UGCC head claims that by banning the UOC, the state is not violating religious freedom but merely protecting the Church’s faithful from Moscow propaganda.
Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million
Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.