Greece Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

February 16, 2024 5:00 am

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage. At least for the near future, it will almost certainly be the only one. Orthodox leadership has unanimously opposed recognition of same-sex relationships within its own rites and in the civil realm. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. But there are some signs of change. Montenegro and Cyprus have authorized same-sex unions in recent years. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. They remain off the table in Russia which has cracked down on LGBTQ+ expression, and its orbit.