The announcement of Metropolitan Bishop of Kalavryta Amvrosios to ring the church bells in mourning for 15 minutes for three days in his area as a reaction to the proposed anti-racism law has caused some tension in the Greek Orthodox Church. Ιn his announcement, Amvrosios claims that the law will “put a muzzle on honest and law-abiding citizens” and will “automatically legitimize every type of promiscuity and delinquency”.
The Metropolitan Bishops of Dimitriada and Dodoni have openly criticized Amvrosios’ move and many in the Church feel that such extreme positions reflect upon the Church as a whole.
The Metropolitan Bishop of Dodoni Chrysostomos stated on Alpha Radio that “Orthodoxy does not examine the color, origin or even faith of man” and “if there are delinquencies in a religion, political ideology or opinion, the state is obliged to uphold the law”.
On his behalf, the Metropolitan Bishop of Dimitriada Ignatios explained that “it is not appropriate for Orthodox Christians and even Greeks, to segregate people, to underestimate people, to taunt people because they do not share our color, our race and our faith”. Bishop Ignatios added that he understands the problems of the crisis, but they “do not justify giving in to the preaching of love and respect of the other and of difference, because then we will have betrayed Christ and his Gospel”.
