Greek Orthodox priests and monks remain strictly prohibited from owning hunting rifles or participating in legal hunting, the Ministry of Citizen Protection has confirmed in response to a parliamentary question raised by ruling New Democracy party lawmaker Andreas Nikolakopoulos.
In a formal inquiry submitted to parliament, Nikolakopoulos asked the government to clarify why clergy are excluded from owning hunting weapons and taking part in lawful hunting activities, arguing that priests living in provincial communities deserve equal treatment alongside other citizens.
In the Greek parliamentary system, lawmakers frequently submit written questions to cabinet ministers to seek official clarifications on administrative rules and test whether long-standing statutory prohibitions remain justified under current law.
Nikolakopoulos, a member of Greece's governing center-right New Democracy party, highlighted the cultural significance of hunting in rural areas across the country, where the activity forms an established part of social life and local tradition. He stated that several clergymen wish to participate legally in hunting while adhering strictly to the same conditions and legal regulations required of all other citizens.
In his submission to parliament, the lawmaker invoked both the constitutional principle of equality before the law and the individual right to the free development of personality. He requested explicit clarification regarding the specific reasons that justify maintaining a blanket ban on firearm ownership for ordained ministers.
Ministry response and legal framework
Responding to the inquiry on behalf of the government, Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Ioannis Lampropoulos informed parliament that current regulations provide no allowance for clergy members to possess firearms under any circumstances.
The Ministry of Citizen Protection, which oversees public security services and the national police force, confirmed that the existing legal framework prohibits both gun ownership and gun use by monks and priests, regardless of their rank within the church hierarchy. This restriction explicitly includes weapons intended solely for hunting.
Under Greek law, firearm licenses for hunting and sports shooting are administered through local police departments under strict statutory regulations governing public safety and weapon safety qualifications.
In its written response, the ministry pointed to decision 2569/1990 issued by the Council of State, the supreme administrative court of Greece. The tribunal evaluated the legal status of clerical gun ownership in conjunction with Article 3 of the Greek Constitution, which defines Eastern Orthodoxy as the prevailing religion in Greece and regulates constitutional relations between the church and the state.
Ecclesiastical rulings and police practice
The government response also cited official correspondence sent in previous years to the Headquarters of the Greek Police by governing ecclesiastical bodies. These include formal documents submitted by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and the Holy Provincial Synod of the Church of Crete.
The Holy Synod serves as the governing council of bishops managing administrative and spiritual matters for the autocephalous Church of Greece, while the Church of Crete operates as a semi-autonomous ecclesiastical body under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. According to the ministry, documents from both synods confirm that the firearm ban applies universally to all members of the clergy, with no exceptions permitted for individuals who intend to use a weapon exclusively for hunting.
Religious canons and established precedent
Lampropoulos emphasized that operational practice within the Greek Police, known officially as EL.AS, is not based solely on national arms control legislation.
When evaluating firearm applications involving religious personnel, law enforcement authorities must also take into account sacred canon law, official decisions adopted by competent church authorities, and established legal precedent accumulated over past decades.
In Eastern Orthodox ecclesiastical tradition, canon law includes historical rulings that govern clerical conduct and spiritual duties, which church authorities have consistently interpreted as incompatible with carrying weapons or engaging in hunting.
With the government confirming its continued enforcement of judicial precedent and church directives, the long-standing prohibition remains firmly in place. Clergymen seeking to join seasonal hunting trips across Greece will continue to be barred from obtaining legal hunting permits and firearm licenses.
