In the shadow of the reactions to the new identity cards promoted by the government, the Permanent Holy Synod expressed its own opinion on the issue, after a meeting.
In its relevant statement, the Holy Synod notes that it «understands the concern of some Christians», but notes that «the theologically strong theories that the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ is offended by the form and content of the new police identity card are not theologically valid».
He also stresses that «the judgement on the legality of the police identity card belongs to the jurisdiction of the country's judiciary, which has already ruled», adding that «it concerns an administrative issue of the relations between the State and the citizen».
The report of the Holy Synod's communication on identity cards
The Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece regarding the new police identity cards, which the responsible Greek State has decided to issue, publishes the following positions, addressed to the Holy Clergy and the pious people:
- The Holy Synod understands the concern of some Christians, so it asks everyone to have confidence in the Church and its responsible Pastors, who are comforting in all matters concerning the life of the faithful.
Any views or reservations reproduced by para-religious beliefs around citizens' police ID cards are not of purely orthodox origin.
The theological theories that the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ is offended by the form and content of the new police identity card, as regulated by the current Ministerial Decisions (2018, 2019, 2023), are not theologically valid. The use of phrases about «electronic envelopment» imposed by the «New World Order» and «globalization» also has a para-religious starting point, as it does not aim to protect the individual freedoms of citizens, but implies that the Greek Republic, its services and the elected government are «instruments of the Antichrist».
In 2019, the Council of State ruled on the legality of the 2018 Ministerial Decision on the new identity card (decisions 2388/2019, 2389/2019). On the one hand, it dismissed the legal disputes regarding the protection of the personality, religious conscience and personal data of the citizen, on the other hand, it partially annulled the 2018 Ministerial Decision with regard to a provision of the Decision, which provided for the direct use of the ID card by citizens as a digital government service card, as this function was not provided for by law. Since then, the State has complied and issued two corrective Ministerial Decisions (2019, 2023).
In any case, the decision on the legality of the police identity card falls within the jurisdiction of the judicial power of the country, which has already ruled, and concerns an administrative issue of the relations between the State and the citizen.
- Nevertheless, the matter is being studied in all its implications and will be referred to a future extraordinary convocation of the Holy Hierarchy.
