Note: Manny Moreno contributed to the article.
ATHENS – Last week on February 15th, the LGBTQ+ community in Greece rejoiced as same-sex marriage was finally legalized in the nation. This is a monumental victory for almost one-third of the country that … but also because it is the first time an Orthodox Christian country will recognize same-sex marriage.
The passage of this law was a campaign promise of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Although his party, New Democracy, is considered the conservative party of Greece, measuring at center-right on the European scale, the law also had the support of four left-wing parties. This makes Greece the 16th within the European Union to legalize same-sex marriage, and the 35th country worldwide, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an international LGBTQ+ advocacy group. Only 76 representatives out of the 300-seat Parliament voted against the measure, making this a relative landslide victory. “People who have been invisible will finally be made visible around us. And with them, many children [will] finally find their rightful place,” said Prime Minister Mitsotakis.
The national flag of Greece on the Acropolis of Athens, [Photo Credit: George E. Koronaios CCA-SA 4.0
The announcement is a legal victory and it is poised to have a positive impact across Greece, specifically for the marginalized LGBTQ+ community. Greece, like the US, UK, and many countries around the world, is home to a large percentage of Witches and Pagans who identify as LGBTQ+. However, due to the prominence of the Greek Orthodox church, witchcraft and paganism are decried as well.
This intersectionality of witchcraft and the LGBTQ+ community makes this legal victory a milestone for both groups. In a country with no separation of church and state, to have the nationalist religion concede an issue as big as same-sex marriage gives us hope for our future as witches and pagans here as well. While the battle is far from over, this incredible victory is a step in the right direction, bringing hope to all who champion the LGBTQ+ community.
Stefanos Chelydoreus, an LGBT witch and writer living in Athens, shared his thoughts on the complexity of this victory. “The vote on February 15th was a truly historic moment for the LGBTQIA+ community in Greece, given my country’s deeply Christian and conservative mindset. It is especially monumental in the face of the months-long campaigns of relentless hatred expressed by the Orthodox Church, far-right parties, and various nationalist and fascist individuals and groups after the government revealed its initial plans for this law. This is a moment of celebration for us; at the same time, it is a reminder to not only redouble our efforts for true equality across the board – since our rights and fight don’t end at marriage – but to shine an even brighter light on our government’s many mistakes, scandals, and crimes. It is my hope, as a gay, Pagan Greek, that this landmark vote will pave the way for greater and better progress here in Greece, including in matters of religious freedom.”
Same-sex marriage was a milestone, but there are so many other goals toward which we must strive.
Image: DepositPhotos
And Konstantinos Fotiadis, High Priest and Mystagogue of the Serpent of Hermes, an eclectic Wiccan coven based in Athens, Greece, issued this statement: “On Thursday, after a long discussion and with the 2/3 of the Parliament voting “yes”, same-sex marriage was legalized. Why is this so important, though? For those living in Greece, we know that for many decades, the Orthodox Christian Church has tried to apply its teachings to every citizen, turning it into a theocratic nation instead of a democratic one. For every win of human rights, it’s a victory against the close-minded people who act as spiritual leaders. The Greek Pagan community has many LGBTQA+ members and the legal recognition affected them too. As a High Priest for my Coven and leader of one of many communities in Greece, I was asked to perform handfastings and most of them were either unofficial or in secret. Although Wicca and Paganism aren’t recognized in Greece as known religions, we are free to perform the rituals without any legal recognition. We have performed rituals after the political wedding as part of the ceremony and so far, municipal officers didn’t mind combining the procedures. We are very happy to see Greece accepting that human nature has many aspects and all of these should be recognized and accepted as part of the community.”
Although many more LGBTQ+ Greeks and residents of Greece were asked to comment, unfortunately, they all declined. This reaction alone supports that there is a lot more work to be done to ensure safety for members of the LGBTQ+ community here in Greece.
A Greek couple traveling in Miami at the time of the announcement echoed similar thoughts. Vassilis Spoulos does not identify as Pagan but as an animist and agnostic. Spoulos said, “Whatever wears away the influence of the church is a good thing.” He added that it is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community “for sure, but Greece was also under pressure to show it commits to being a secular state.” His partner, Evgenia, jumped in to add “And it can hardly claim as much. There is a state religion in Greece just like in the UK and in Denmark, I have to add. In Greece, the church wields constant power. As a Witch, I stand against how the patriarchs use it against people.”
“They like to say it is our rich tradition and I think it is rich oppression,” Evgenia added. “They try to make decisions about what I can do, when I can eat, and how I use my body.”
Evgenia followed up her statement with an uncomplimentary hand gesture.
As the celebrations of the initial victory fade, the LGBTQ+ community – Witches, Pagans, and otherwise – are looking ahead. Elyse Welles who co-authored this article added “As a bisexual Greek witch living in Greece myself, this victory actually caught me by surprise. I was optimistic but reserved my hope, as the pressure to conform to the church and its ideals for what Greece “should” be is so strong. But in the wake of this victory, as the shock has turned from disbelief to excitement, I’ll continue to use my platform, time, and energy to elevate the voices and stories of our marginalized communities. This reminds us that when we come together, we can overcome old power systems that no longer serve us. Here in Greece, we will be doing everything we can to continue this momentum and bring marginalized groups the rights and freedoms they deserve.”
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