Open letter of His Beatitude
Patriarch Teoctist against the intention of the Romanian Parliament to abrogate
Article 200 in the Penal Code, concerning the homosexual relations
At the end of June, 2000, following the
recommendation of the European Parliament to harmonise certain stipulations in
the Penal Code with Resolution 1123 of the Council of Europe, the House of
Deputies of the Romanian Parliament analysed the bill that provides among other
things, the abrogation of Article 200 concerning homosexuality.
Before the final vote, during the debates over
the respective bill, His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist addressed the following
open letter to the deputies and senators in the Romanian Parliament:
A CALL TO
RESPONSIBILITY
The Appeal of the
Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church addressed to the Senators and
Deputies in the Romanian Parliament - September 13, 2000
Dear Senators and Deputies,
The abrogation of Article 200 in the Penal
Code by the House of Deputies caused a great sadness in our souls and in those
of the great majority of the Romanians. The imminent debate of this issue in
the Romanian Senate worries us even more.
Therefore, in the name of God from whom any rule
and power comes and of the millions of Orthodox Christians who mandated the
Romanian parliamentarians by their votes, we ask them not to pass laws in
contradiction with the Christian morals, with the natural law, as well as with
the dignity and vocation of the family.
The Romanian people asks the Holy Synod,
through numberless written requests not to remain silent when faced with the
danger that the traditional way of life of the Romanians be trampled on, the
Holy Scripture despised, and the family given homosexuality as an alternative.
The people asks us to remind its elected
persons in the Romanian Parliament not to become estranged from those who
elected them, not to be in contradiction with the voice of the majority
represented by the Christians of this country. The people expresses, through
the voice of the Church, its desire that the legislators in the Parliament of
today and of tomorrow too, the Government of today and of tomorrow too, to give
ear to the real stringent needs of the Romanians who will go to the polling
station this autumn.
Today, we, the hierarchs of the Holy Synod
wonder ourselves, at the same time with the whole of the population of our
country why the economic issues, those of social protection, of support of
culture, education and health, as well as those concerning the diminishing of
violence and crime are not treated and solved as priorities for the integration
of Romania in the European structures? Why just the cessation of the indictment
of propaganda for homosexual relations mentioned in article 200 in the Penal
Code became a priority for the legislative forums of the country at the end of
this administration?
We remind you that the Romanian Orthodox
Church – together with the other religious cults in Romania – expressed, through
the Declaration of the religious cults
for the integration of Romanian in the European Union, its desire to
support the integration of Romania in the European structures. It was specified
at the time that the cultural particularities, as well as those of mentality or
religion of every nation could serve as a link and richness for the European
unity.
The Holy Synod does affirm that having signed
the Declaration mentioned above the Romanian Orthodox Church responsibly
assumed its willingness to support the process of European integration but it
does not agree with decisions that lead to the moral and spiritual degradation
of the Romanian society.
We are sure that in spite of all appearances,
the European structures will receive us, in their bosom, with our specific
features, with our Christian traditional identity. We also think that a
dialogue and a richness of spiritual values is desired, not a unity
artificially imposed.
Dear members of the Parliament,
The Church does not ask you to pass bills designed
to punish those affected by sins against nature. The Church proves
understanding, forgiving and patience towards these persons, placing at their
disposal spiritual means to improve themselves. Yet, we consider necessary that
law punish the propaganda of their practices through public manifestations,
mass-media, through their own institutions and so on.
We are sure that this appeal will find its
proper echo in your conscience as sons of the Romanian Orthodox Church and of
the other religious cults in Romania. We pray God to bestow His life giving
guiding light on all of you, so that you should not adopt a decision that may
affect the dearest value of a nation, that is the family.
PRESIDENT OF THE HOLY SYNOD
+ T E O C T I S T
PATRIARCH OF THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
The bill is to be debated by the Senate, the higher house of the Romanian Parliament, in the autumn session.
January-March 2000