A Russian Orthodox archbishop in charge of family affairs has sided with Pope Francis in his assessment that sexuality is not a taboo but a gift from God — as long as it is practiced within the family.
The pope reportedly told young worshippers in France this week that “passionate” love “leads you to give your life forever.” “Sexuality, sex, is a gift of God. Not taboo,” he was quoted as telling young Catholics from the Grenoble diocese.
Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov, who heads a Russian Orthodox patriarchal commission for children’s and mother’s rights, concurred with Pope Francis that “sex is a component of love.”
“But only love within marriage,” Smirnov told the Govorit Moskva radio station Wednesday.
He echoed the pope’s message that premarital sex “violates God’s plan and is a mortal sin.”
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Dmitry Smirnov as an archbishop. He is an archpriest.
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