Unknown - (If you have data and a better picture of this icon, please send us an e-mail. Thank you) Some Explanations and Discussion The late John Boswell's last book, "Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe", has appeared in paperback and may once again attract attention. Boswell affirms that during the Middle Ages, Catholic and Orthodox churches developed liturgical rites for solemnizing unions between pairs of males, called "adelphopoiesis", the Greek word for "brother-making." Extracts from Chapter 2 of "Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe": The History of Same-Sex Marriage Most twentieth century Americans consider marriage to be an institution that intrinsically involves different sex partners. While numerous Americans are willing to tolerate same-sex relationships, and even to sanction them to some extent, few consider them to be marriages. In contrast, historians, social anthropologists, and scholars of comparative literature have been writing about same-sex unions and marriages for most of this century, with a booklet in the last two decades. Though few critics like to admit it, same-sex marriages are a commonplace in human history and have served civilizing functions, providing couples with social support and integrating them into the larger culture. I am not using the term marriage casually. Although some of the same-sex relationships described in this chapter have marriage-like features, I do not always deem them same-sex marriages. The term is used only when it appears that the same-sex union was treated by contemporaries and legal authorities as about the same as different sex marriage and met one or more of the civilizing functions of marriage, namely: long-term emotional support and bonding between the couple; economic security and division of labor in the household; or legitimacy and support of a family, including children. Copyright © 1996 by William N. Eskridge, Jr. Adelphopoiia (The Rite of Spiritual Brotherhood) Marriage Liturgy for Men Notes: This service is a rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church dating from very early times and assuming its present form between the fourth and ninth centuries A.D. This service is translated from the Euchologion of Jacobus Goar, which was printed in 1647 and revised in 1730. A facsimile of the 1730 edition, published in Graz, Austria, in 1960, is the edition available in many theological libraries. With the rising influence of western ideas in recent centuries, this rite ceased to be practiced widely and was largely forgotten or ignored except in isolated areas, most notably Albania and other areas in the Balkans, where it flourished throughout the nineteenth century and up to at least 1935. Both men and women were united with this rite or similar ones. This rite is called "spiritual" because the relationship between spiritual brothers is not one of blood-relation but of the Holy Spirit, and also to distinguish the rite from blood-brotherhood, which the Church opposed. In the service, the saint-martyrs Sergius and Bacchus are invoked, who were united in spiritual brotherhood "not bound by the law of nature but by the example of faith in the Holy Spirit". These saints were tortured and martyred late in the third century A.D. when they refused to worship the emperor's idols. In their biography by Simeon Metaphrastes (available in J.P. Migne, Patrologia Graeca, vol. 115, pp. 1005-1032) they are described as sweet companions and lovers to each other." Sergius and Bacchus, indeed, are "heteros and erotikas", that is "companions and physical lovers". This rite is incorporated into a Divine Liturgy. It begins with the usual blessing and prayers of a Liturgy. During the Great Synapte, petitions for the couple to be united in spiritual brotherhood are added to the usual petitions. After the First Antiphon, two special prayers are said for the couple, after which they kiss the Gospel Book and each other. After the priest sings a hymn, the Liturgy continues at "Have mercy on us, O God .. ". Accounts of the use of this rite (such as Nacke, Jahrbuch f ur sexuelle Zwischenstufen, vol. 9, 1908, p. 328) confirm that the spiritual brothers receive Holy Communion together, thereby forming the sacramental bond in this union. However, Goar mentions in a footnote that in some manuscripts, the couple is only blessed with holy water." Greek manuscripts organized by function-of-rite place it in "Gamos" that is with other marriage rites. Icon by Jesus Eduardo Rocha - Chicago Subject: Orthodox Gay Union Rite: Text and Discussion From: PAUL HALSALL <HALSALL@MURRAY.FORDHAM.EDU> Here is some more useful information on the exact significance of the "adelphopoiia" ceremony, which points to its commonly-known usage as a rite to sanctify homosexual sexual relationships. The text I post here is from The Rudder ["Pedalion" in Greek], a compilation and commentary on Orthodox canon law by Saint Agapius, a Hieromonk, and Saint Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain circa 1800. In many respects it is not trustworthy, at least as regards ancient canon law. It is, conversely, very useful information on Orthodoxy in Greece two hundred years ago. The citation of the version I am using is: Agapius the hieromonk and Nicodemos the monk, The Rudder..., trans. D. Cummings, (Chicago: Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1957; repr. 1983), from the fifth edition edited by Ioannes Nikolaides in Athens, 1908. From p.977 on there is an attempt to bring together all the laws concerning marriage. Chapter 10 of this section [p.997] addresses under the general heading of marriage "Brothership by Adoption". (See A. Franks note above about the general tendency to deal with this ceremony along with {other?} marriage texts or canons in Greek sources.) Here is the text from The Rudder: [the references are those given in the text] "So called brothership-by-adoption is not only prohibited by ch.35 of Title XIII of Book V of the law (p.217 of Jus Greco-Romanum ) altogether, and rejected by the Church of Christ, but is also contrary to nature, according to Demetrius Chomatianus (ibid.). For adoption imitates nature, but nature never generates a brother, but only a son. So adoption, as imitating nature, cannot make a brother. Hence such a thing as making a brother by adoption not only is not practicable or to be considered to constitute an obstacle to marriage among themselves of such allegedly adopted brothers, but neither ought it to be projected at all. For it ought to be rejected from the Church of Christ, on the ground that it is the cause of many evils and of the perdition of souls to most of them, and merely afford matter for some persons to fulfill their carnal desires and to enjoy sensual pleasures, as countless examples of actual experience have shown at various times and in various places." Clearly Agapius and Nicodemos were not happy with adelphopoiia, which they indicate is still going on, and which we have see had a distinct rite. They also are quite aware, I think, that "adoption" is not what was going on in this rite [one person "adopts" another; two people do not "adopt" each other]. I am not clear what the line about "an obstacle to marriage among themselves" means - it reads as if there was another specifically male marriage ceremony, but this seems unlikely. What is clear is that they regarded it as common knowledge that the adelphopoiia ceremony was connected, in practice, to the fulfillment of carnal desires. It seems fair, if The Rudder is correct, to regard the adelphopoiia ceremony, sanctioned by usage by the Orthodox church and people [although, evidently, resisted by some] as a ceremony celebrating, and giving religious significance to, homosexual sexual unions, and that this was done with common knowledge. Unknown - (If you have data and a better picture of this icon, please send us an e-mail. Thank you)