The backlash from the Greek Orthodox Church against a law allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples continues, as a regional archdiocese imposed a religious ban on two local MPs who supported the law. The church in the island of Corfu, northwest Greece, accused the dissenting MPs of committing a "deep spiritual and moral error" by voting in favor of the law, which was passed with support from all parties on February 15. Greece became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage.
The conservative Greek Church strongly opposed the law proposed by the center-right government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, launching a preaching campaign against it and pressuring MPs to reject it. A statement from the Corfu Archdiocese read: "For us, these two MPs cannot consider themselves active members of the church... They should be excluded from the essential Christian rituals, refrain from any church activities, and not be granted official recognition by church officials at official events."
This statement from the Corfu Archdiocese followed a similar action by church officials in the city of Piraeus, targeting local MPs who voted in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. However, the law prohibits same-sex couples from having children through surrogates in Greece, a choice currently available to women unable to conceive for health reasons. Prime Minister Mitsotakis personally defended the law, which according to polls, was supported by a slight majority of the population.
