Church: Cremation is ‘an insult to mankind’
The Church of Greece yesterday reaffirmed its bitter opposition to cremation as a means of disposing of the dead, in response to proposed legislation that would allow members of other religions to burn their dead. A spokesman for the Church’s ruling body, the Holy Synod – which discussed the matter yesterday – said inhumation was in tune with both Greek and Orthodox tradition. «(Cremation) is an act of violence, an insult to mankind, an expression of nihilism and foreign to Greek tradition,» Anthimos, the bishop of Alexandroupolis, told journalists. Anthimos said the Synod would deliberate in October whether people who have expressed in writing their desire to be cremated should be allowed religious burial. Despite much debate over the years – sparked by followers of Christian churches that allow cremation and fueled by cemetery overcrowding – it is still illegal in Greece to burn the dead. Last month, seven MPs from most parties in Parliament tabled a bill to allow cremation for the non-Orthodox. The Communist Party agreed in principle, but wants cremation to be available to all.
