Metropolitan Anthony: Accepting sin as the norm is a betrayal of the Lord

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary strongly condemned calls to recognize the rights of members of the LGBT community in the context of Ukraine’s efforts toward European integration. According to the hierarch, attempts to impose such norms on society as a mandatory condition for joining the European Union contradict Christian anthropology and constitute a direct challenge to God’s order.

As reported by “Orthodox Life” (based on a comment by Metropolitan Anthony), any attempts to legalize sin and label unnatural phenomena as the norm are regarded by the Church as a betrayal of the Lord. His Eminence emphasized that, according to the Bible, God created humankind as male and female for the purpose of procreation, and this order is the unshakable foundation of the universe. Commenting on the initiative of the LGBT center “Nash Svit,” which appealed to the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches with a proposal to support their rights, the metropolitan noted that Christians are effectively being asked to renounce their worldview and moral compass.

In his statement, Metropolitan Anthony draws upon Sacred Scripture and the patristic tradition. He recalled the words of St. John Chrysostom, who called such sins “unnatural and unlawful,” and also cited the canonical rules of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, which establish strict penances for such actions. The Metropolitan explained that harsh ecclesiastical punishments are not a manifestation of cruelty, but rather “a manifestation of Mother Church’s love for her flock,” aimed at protecting the spiritual body from harmful influences.

In conclusion, His Eminence expressed bewilderment at the silence of representatives of certain religious circles during meetings with LGBT activists, calling on the faithful not to lose hope and to firmly uphold Christian values, “protecting the beauty and dignity of the human person as the image of God.”

As a reminder, earlier, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,held a meeting with representatives of LGBT organizations to discuss possible amendments to the draft of the new Civil Code. The activists stated that certain provisions of the document concerning the definition of family needed to be revised, and they also proposed enshrining in law provisions related to the protection of the rights of the LGBT community.