Georgian Church States EU Asked It to Promote Same-Sex Marriages
A representative of the Patriarchate of Georgia stated that the EU had asked the Church to help promote same-sex marriages in the country.
The head of the public relations service of the Patriarchate of Georgia, Archpriest Andriya Jagmaidze, stated that EU representatives had offered the Georgian Orthodox Church assistance in promoting same-sex marriages in the country, reports SOVA.
According to the representative of the Georgian Church, the matter concerns a 2023 meeting with the then Foreign Minister of Belgium and current EU Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib.
Jagmaidze claims that the European official spoke of Georgia's "lagging behind" modern trends due to society's rejection of same-sex marriages. In this regard, he says, she asked the Patriarchate — which enjoys great authority in the country — to help promote them.
The representative of the Patriarchate also commented on the European Parliament resolution that mentions the Georgian Orthodox Church. He stated that he considers this document to be a consequence of the failed policy of European structures toward the Church.
In Jagmaidze's view, such actions may strengthen anti-European sentiment in Georgian society. He added that following the meeting with the EU Commissioner, representatives of European structures had not visited the Patriarchate for a long time; however, after the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III, contacts with diplomatic missions were resumed.
The Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported that Patriarch Shio received representatives of the US State Department.
