The Romanian Orthodox Church has expressed strong concern and disapproval regarding the upcoming Bucharest Pride March scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2025, which coincides with the eve of Pentecost, one of the most important celebrations in the Orthodox Christian calendar.
In its official statement, the Patriarchate described this timing as “provocative and inappropriate,” emphasizing that the Pride March stands in direct opposition to a sacred religious event that holds deep meaning for all Christians.
The Romanian Church called on Orthodox believers to intensify their prayers for the Christian family and urged them to avoid any confrontation with the participants of the march, encouraging “refraining from provocative behavior, offensive language, or violence,” which contradicts the conduct expected of every true member of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that such manifestations are “particularly harmful to young people and innocent children.”
According to Romanian Orthodox teaching, based on Holy Scripture and the Church Fathers, homosexuality is considered a sin because it fundamentally opposes the concept of family and marriage as the union of a man and a woman, established by God, the Creator of the universe and humanity (Genesis 2:24).
Read the full press release:
The Romanian Patriarchate openly expresses its concern and disapproval regarding the upcoming Bucharest Pride March, scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2025, which coincides with the eve of the great feast of Pentecost (also known as Whitsun), a major celebration in the Orthodox Christian calendar.
We consider the scheduling of Bucharest Pride as defiantly juxtaposed to this sacred religious event, which holds profound meaning for all of Christianity.
Therefore, Bucharest Pride is a provocative and inappropriate act, especially in today’s context marked by secular ideologies and social tensions.
We urge all Orthodox believers to intensify their prayers for the Christian family, to refrain from responding to provocations from participants in the Bucharest Pride march, and to avoid offensive language or violent behaviour toward them—actions that contradict the conduct befitting a true member of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
For the Romanian Orthodox Church, such provocative manifestations are especially harmful to young people and innocent children.
Christian teaching, based on Holy Scripture and the writings of the Holy Fathers of the Church, considers homosexuality to be a sin, as it fundamentally contradicts the concept of family and marriage as the union between a man and a woman, an institution established by God, the Creator of the universe and of humanity (Genesis 2:24).