Priest Dionysios Tabakis explained his position on homosexuality
Greek Orthodox priest and musician Dionysios Tabakis has released a statement explaining his position on homosexuality and the Greek radical right. As The Guardian World reports, he said that he supports unity, love, empathy and helping every person in need, wronged and suffering, regardless of their beliefs.
Tabakis became known in experimental music circles thanks to the home-recorded album Paradise Metal, which combined drone metal and religious dubstep. His debut record received a score of 7.6 from Pitchfork.
Position on same-sex marriage
The priest's views came under scrutiny because of two posts he wrote in 2024, when Greece became the first country with an Orthodox Christian majority to legalize same-sex marriage. In posts on the blog The Doors The Doors, he referred to gay people as “sodomites,” described same-sex marriage as a “sodomite monster,” and called the relevant bill blasphemous.
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In his new statement, Tabakis said that his views on homosexuality do not differ from the position of the Orthodox Church over the past two thousand years. He added that homosexual people deserve love and acceptance, as they may face rejection in their surroundings, including within their families. The priest also said that he had received such people in confession with acceptance and love. The Guardian notes that Tabakis's statement appears to continue treating homosexuality as a sin.
Blessing of Golden Dawn office
Separately, Tabakis commented on a 2013 video that was recently recirculated on Greek social media. In the recording, he performs a blessing ceremony at the opening of an office of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, which had representatives in the Greek parliament in 2015–2019. In 2020, the group was declared criminal, and its leadership received prison sentences in cases involving murder, attacks and weapons possession.
Tabakis said that he performed the ceremony as part of his official duties and at the request of higher church leadership. He also said that he had taken part in blessings of premises associated with other political and municipal groups. The label Heat Crimes stressed that conducting an Orthodox blessing ceremony does not in itself mean political support for an organization. Tabakis himself said that he opposes nationalism, which, according to him, has brought bloodshed and wars to humanity.
