

A Latvian Archbishop has claimed that homosexuality is destroying human identity – but denies being anti-gay.

Catholic Archbishop Zbigņevs Stankevičs made the comments in an interview with American Christian news website LifeSiteNews.

He claimed: “Homosexual relationships are destroying our identity. Not only our Christian identity, but also our human identity, the identity of man and the identity of woman.

“We are not against homosexuals, we are for these persons. We are invited to disarm a lie and let in the truth in such ways.”

Last year, Latvia was condemned by Amnesty International for lacking protection against homophobic and transphobic crime.

The Catholic Church is currently holding a meeting of over 200 Catholic bishops, which is expected to reaffirm the church’s teachings on homosexuality.

The ‘extraordinary synod’ follows up on a worldwide consultation earlier last year, which found the Church was out of touch with ordinary Catholics on issues involving sex and sexuality.

However, bishops are expected to focus on small-scale reforms pertaining to contraception and divorce, rather than risk changing the Church’s policies on homosexuality.