Department for External Church Relations
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The document "On the Orthodox attitude to the new practice of blessing 'irregular and same-sex couples' in the Roman Catholic Church" has been published
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission has developed a document "On the Orthodox attitude to the new practice of blessing 'irregular and same-sex couples' in the Roman Catholic Church," informs "Patriarchia.ru"
"The new practice of blessing 'irregular couples and same-sex couples' is presented in the document 'Fiducia supplicans' (Latin for ‘Supplicating Trust’) adopted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. The declaration ... was approved and signed by Pope Francis," the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission reported in the document.
The Commission's response stresses that the Roman Catholic Church proposes "to recognise the possibility, under certain conditions, of blessing couples in 'irregular situations' and 'same-sex cohabitation'". It is noted that "the ideas expressed in the declaration 'Fiducia supplicans' represent a significant deviation from Christian moral teaching and require theological analysis." It is concluded that "the Fiducia supplicans declaration, while formally proclaiming fidelity to the Christian understanding of the sacrament of marriage and the practice of blessings, in fact postulates a sharp departure from this fidelity".
"In the context of the processes taking place in the Christian community, this document can be perceived as a step towards the Roman Catholic Church's full recognition of 'same-sex unions' as the norm, which has already happened in a number of Protestant communities," the Commissioners said.
"The Russian Orthodox Church considers it its duty to respond to such radical innovations that reject the divinely revealed norms of Christian morality. The Church, with motherly love and condescension accepting every individual sinner who asks her blessing, cannot in any form bless 'same-sex couples', since this would mean the Church's de facto consent to a union that has a sinful character," the members of the Synodal Biblical Theological Commission conclude.
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