Father Dionysios Tabakis, a Greek Orthodox priest who has gained recognition in experimental music circles for his home-recorded drone metal and religious dubstep, has released a public statement to clarify his positions on homosexuality and the Greek radical right. Tabakis, whose debut album Paradise Metal received a 7.6 rating from Pitchfork and garnered international media attention, stated that his views remain consistent with those of the Orthodox Church, asserting they are "nothing more, nothing less."
The clarification follows scrutiny of two blog posts written in 2024, a period coinciding with Greece becoming the first Christian Orthodox-majority nation to legalize same-sex marriage. In those posts on the WordPress blog The Doors The Doors, Tabakis referred to gay people as "Sodomites," described same-sex marriage as a "sodomitic monstrosity," and labeled the legislation as "blasphemous."
In his recent statement, Tabakis emphasized a message of inclusivity, stating, "As can be seen from my musical expression, I am in favour of unity, love, empathy and help for every needy, wronged and suffering person in life. Whoever they are, whatever they believe, whether they are a saint or a sinner." He added that the church owes homosexual people love and acceptance, noting that he has received such individuals for confession with "acceptance and love." While maintaining that his view on homosexuality aligns with the 2,000-year tradition of the Orthodox Church, he also remarked, "It is better to sin with freedom than to be virtuous with oppression."
The statement also addressed a 2013 YouTube video that recently resurfaced on social media, which showed Tabakis performing a sanctification ceremony at an office building for Golden Dawn, the neo-Nazi party that held parliamentary seats from 2015 to 2019. The organization was criminalized in 2020, with leadership receiving prison sentences for crimes including murder and assault. Tabakis explained that he performed the consecration as an official duty at the request of his superiors, noting that he had attended similar ceremonies for various political and municipal groups. Heat Crimes, the record label that released his debut album, supported this, stating that priests routinely perform such blessings and that a religious blessing does not equate to a political endorsement.
Furthermore, Tabakis explicitly rejected nationalism, stating it has only brought "blood and wars to humanity." He cited his family history, noting that his grandparents from Crete fought against Hitler and Nazism. He also connected his musical style to his worldview, explaining that one reason he removed the frets from his guitar was a "mental need not to be confined to borders."
