Athens, February 16, 2024
Supporters of the LGBTQ community gather Thursday outside the Greek Parliament as lawmakers vote on a same-sex marriage and same-sex couples adoption bill in Athens. Aris Messinis / AFP – Getty Images
Greek Parliament voted late last night, despite the fierce and persistent resistance from the Church and society, to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.
Greece thus becomes the first Orthodox nation to do so.
176 out of 300 MPs voted in favor of the relevant bill, 76 against, 2 abstained, and 46 were not present, reports the Associated Press.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted that Greece “is proud to become the 16th (European Union) country to legislate marriage equality.”
“This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece—a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” he wrote.
Greece had already legalized 
Greek Parliament legalizes same-sex civil partnershipsGreece’s parliament has overwhelmingly approved legislation legalizing civil partnerships for gay couples, two years after the country was condemned by a European human rights court for discrimination.
“>gay civil unions nearly a decade ago. Under that law, only the biological parents of children being raised by such couples were recognized as legal guardians, whereas now, gay parents can both be afforded legal rights over the children.
Unsurprisingly, the new law has divided Greek society, where the vast majority of people profess Orthodox Christianity. The Church has raised its voice against gay marriage many times over the past few months. Statements have come from the 
Greek Holy Synod against gay marriage and gay adoptionThe Holy Synod of the Church of Greece came out with a statement today addressing the ongoing scandal surrounding the possibility of legalized gay marriage in Greece.
“>Holy Synod, the broader 
Greek hierarchs unanimously condemn gay marriage and adoptionThe hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Greece met in an extraordinary session today, with the sole item on the agenda being the state’s intention to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.”>Council of Bishops, the 
Synod of Crete speaks out against gay marriage and adoptionThe statement emphasizes that the Church preaches the timeless Divine truth that marriage is between a man and a woman, and warns that gay marriage is detrimental for the children of such “marriages.””>Eparchial Synod of Crete, Mt. Athos (see 
Mt. Athos: We are opposed to any form of marriage that contradicts the GospelAmidst the controversy surrounding the Greek government’s proposal to legalize gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, the Holy Mountain has raised its voice.”>here and 
Athonite abbots and Sacred Community: Gay marriage bill threatens all of mankind and creationAnother statement has come from the Holy Mountain concerning the controversy over the Greek government’s plans to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.”>here), and from a host of individual hierarchs and groups of clerics throughout the country.
Tens of thousands rallied against the bill on Athens’ central square earlier this week, but their voices were not heard.
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