The Romanian Patriarchate reacted on Tuesday to the decision of the ECHR by which it requested the recognition of same-sex relationships, showing that the Orthodox Church disapproves of the promotion and legislation of civil partnerships. According to the spokesperson of the Patriarchate, Vasile Bănescu, the civil partnership represents “the toxic source of the breakdown of the importance and morally formative authority of the family”.
“The Romanian Patriarchate, in line with the other Orthodox Churches, constantly disapproves of the promotion of the idea of civil partnership, as well as its legislation, as it represents not only an unnecessary overlap with the valid institution of marriage, but also a real undermining of the assumption of the full responsibility of the two spouses, as well as the toxic source (proven in other societies) of the breakdown of the importance and morally formative authority of the family.
In reality, the civil partnership legalizes cohabitation, relieves the responsibility of the two partners over time to the detriment of the mother and the child, practically serving the latter’s major interest”, said Vasile Bănescu, according to a press release quoted by Agerpres.
“The legal framework that optimally protects the “rearing, education and training of children” is only the natural family (art. 48, para. 1 of the Romanian Constitution). From a moral point of view, civil partnership is a surrogate of marriage and a destructive element of the spiritual and moral order in society. The legalization of civil partnerships became everywhere where it was accepted the first step towards the legalization of “marriage between persons of the same sex”, being only the means by which this “marriage” can be reached.
Granting a legal status to same-sex “couples”, through the legalization of civil partnerships, proved to be only a smooth and favorable political move towards granting the “right” to marry to people who, by the nature of free sexual options, are still outside the founding reasons and purposes of the natural family based on marriage.
The experience of states that have legalized same-sex marriage is telling. However, the field of family law is “closely linked to the cultural and historical traditions of each society and its deep conceptions”, so no European or international text can oblige the states to create a special status for those who cohabit, whether of different sexes, or of the same sex”, says Vasile Bănescu.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday condemned Romania for violating Article 8 of the Convention – the right to “respect for private and family life” – in the case of same-sex couples, in the lawsuit filed by Buhuceanu, Ciobotaru and 20 other families against Romania.
“The Court observes that – both at the time when the plaintiffs submitted their applications to the Court and at present – there were and are no provisions in Romanian legislation that recognize marriage between persons of the same sex or another form of partnership for same-sex couples sex. On the contrary, the Civil Code does not expressly recognize such partnerships”, the ECHR decision also states.
Publisher : BP
