The Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople has declared that it is unacceptable for Orthodox clergy to possess weapons

The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople clarified that the possession and use of weapons for any reason are incompatible with the status of an Orthodox cleric, regardless of ecclesiastical rank.

According to the Orthodox Times, the Synod meeting took place on Monday, November 2, 2026, and was presided over by Patriarch Bartholomew. During the meeting, the Synod began reviewing the agenda items and approved decisions on the relevant issues.

Special attention was given to the issue of the possession and use of weapons by the Orthodox clergy. The issue was raised at the meeting, and the Synod reaffirmed the Church’s canonical position: the carrying or use of weapons is considered fundamentally incompatible with the very calling of a clergyman.

An official statement reads: “The possession and use of weapons for any reason is completely incompatible with the status of an Orthodox cleric of any rank, in accordance with the sacred canonical tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church.”