Helsinki, December 5, 2025
Abp. Ilia of Helsinki. Photo: ort.fi
The Fifth Plenary Session of the Local Council of the Finnish Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Constantinople) approved a motion on November 26 regarding the recognition and protection of the rights of sexual and gender minorities and other minorities in the Church.
The motion emphasizes that all members of the Church, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, skin color, health challenges, or social status, must feel safe and be genuinely heard and encountered within the church community.
“Denying their identity doesn’t merely hurt these individuals but cripples the community itself,” the Conciliar report reads.
The relevant section of the report reads:
Item 24 (Church Council motion regarding the recognition and protection of the rights of sexual and gender minorities and other minorities in the Church)
The Church Council decided to approve the motion.
Grounds:
The Church Council motion regarding the recognition and protection of the rights of sexual and gender minorities and other minorities in the Church states: “The Church is the Body of Christ. Excluding certain body parts—denying their identity—doesn’t merely hurt these individuals but cripples the community itself, wounds the Church, and makes it less of a Church, weaker. In the Church, everyone—absolutely everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, skin color, health challenges, social status, etc.—must feel safe and be genuinely heard and encountered.”
The Church Council considers that the motion’s objectives—strengthening the safety of church membership, human dignity, and equal treatment—are in harmony with the Orthodox Church’s pastoral tradition and educational mission.
The Church Council deems it necessary for the Church to develop education, guidance, and communication that support the holistic encounter and participation of all members belonging to minorities.
The Church Council doesn’t take a position on doctrinal questions but emphasizes that the Church’s policies must be in harmony with Finnish legislation and that the Church’s educational and pastoral work require clear practices that support equality. The Church must walk alongside every person and provide support to them in all life situations to the very end.
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