Bulgaria Orthodox Church Condemns Planned Gay Parade in Sofia

24 June 2008, Tuesday

The Varna and Great Preslav Bishopric of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church denounced Tuesday the gay parade, which is planned to take place in Sofia on Saturday.

In a statement, the Bishopric points out that the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin. The Orthodox Church says that the same-sex relationships as a disease and an unnatural conduction resulting from the original sin, but it also states that it offered a way for curing this type of sin.

"The Holy Orthodox Church prays with care for every persons who descended in such a condition so that they could realize their sin, repent, and change their behavior and beliefs in order to find their true purpose as people", the statement of the Church reads.

"Such public appearances promote immorality and try to supplant the established family values. We do not denounce and despise these people but we denounce the sin of homosexuality, and its scandalous advertising", the clergy also states.

The statement of the bishopric concludes by expressing its protest against such parades, which sought to change the public beliefs in order to make the unnatural seem natural and be approved.

Earlier this week the extreme rightist and nationalist Bulgarian National Union led by the former associate of the Ataka party Boyan Rasate declared it would organize several counter-events within a "Week of Intolerance". According to Rasate, homosexuality had a lot to do with pedophilia.

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