London, September 14, 2026
Photo: basilica.ro
Orthodox hierarchs in Britain were among the signatories of a recent letter opposing the legalization of assisted suicide, arguing that society must offer care, not killing.
The letter was published ahead of the return of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to the British Parliament, which would have allowed adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to request help ending their lives under certain conditions, reports the Basilica News Agency.
The Orthodox signatories included Greek Archbishop Nikitas of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Antiochian Archbishop Silouan, Romanian Archbishop Atanasie, Russian Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, and Serbian Bishop Nectarie.
The hierarchs warned about the implications the bill could have for how society views human life. In the letter, they say passing the bill would divert limited resources away from providing the best possible care to vulnerable people facing long and painful illnesses, and toward offering them ways to end their lives instead.
The hierarchs also pointed to the experience of other countries where assisted dying laws expanded after being passed. They are certain that introducing legalized medically assisted suicide would put enormous pressure on vulnerable and elderly people in society, adding that a right to die quickly becomes a duty to die.
According to the BBC, the House of Commons rejected the bill on Friday by a vote of 286 to 270, a margin of 16 votes. Following the decision, the bill won’t move forward in its current form.
In September, bishops from various Eastern Christian denominations in the UK issued a separate open letter against the same bill.
Orthodox hierarchs in Britain also weighed in on the public debate over protecting life back in March, when they called on lawmakers to reject a legislative provision they warned would allow women to have abortions at any stage of pregnancy and for any reason. The provision was kept in place by the House of Lords, and pro-life organizations described the change as one of the most radical shifts in British abortion law.
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