Father Dionysios Tabakis, the Greek Orthodox priest who gained widespread attention in the experimental music community for his debut drone metal album Paradise Metal, has issued a public statement addressing controversies involving homophobic blog posts and a 2013 religious blessing at a neo-Nazi political office.
Following a wave of mainstream press coverage, including a 7.6 review from Pitchfork and profiles in The Guardian and The New York Times, scrutiny recently fell on the priest’s past activities. Two blog posts published in 2024 on a WordPress site called The Doors The Doors surfaced, in which he referred to gay people as “Σοδομιτῶν” (“Sodomites”) and labeled Greece’s legalization of same-sex marriage a “σοδομικὸ τερατούργημα” (“sodomitic monstrosity”).
Additionally, a 2013 YouTube video circulated showing Father Dionysios Tabakis performing an agiasmos, a traditional religious blessing, for a local office of Golden Dawn. The Greek neo-Nazi party held parliamentary seats before being criminalized in 2020 following convictions of its leadership for murder, assault, and weapons possession.
In an open letter published on August 25, Father Dionysios Tabakis addressed his views on homosexuality by aligning them strictly with religious doctrine, without retracting the language used in his 2024 blog posts.
“My view on homosexuality is the same as that of the Orthodox Church for 2,000 years, nothing more, nothing less,” Tabakis wrote. “We owe homosexual people love and acceptance because many have at times experienced great rejection from their environment, especially from their families.”
He continued by detailing his interactions with gay parishioners: “Over the years, homosexual people have also come to me for confession, and I have always received them with acceptance and love. I remember once a brother and a sister came to confession. Both were troubled and struggling, according to their understanding of their faith, with questions of repentance and sexuality. After the prayer I read to them, I embraced the young man, and I could see how relieved he was that someone had made him feel important and accepted. I also always respect the freedom of my fellow man. After all, with freedom we sin and with freedom we repent. It is better to sin with freedom than to be virtuous with oppression.”
Regarding the 2013 video, Father Dionysios Tabakis stated that the blessing was a mandatory assignment rather than a personal political endorsement, citing his family’s history of fighting Nazis.
“This took place in 2013, when Golden Dawn was represented in the Greek Parliament and was at that time a legal political party,” he explained. “After they asked my superior authority, the Metropolis, for the consecration to be performed, as political parties and municipal groups sometimes do, the Metropolis sent me there on official duty. During my years as a Priest, I have also attended other consecration ceremonies connected with other political and municipal groups.”
He added: “I am against Nationalism because it has only brought blood and wars to humanity. The only ones who have interests in nationalism and borders are the weapons factories that spread death. Besides, my grandparents from Crete fought Hitler and Nazism, so I follow their spirit. In fact, one reason I have removed the frets from my guitar is my mental need not to be confined to borders.”
Heat Crimes, the Greek record label that released Paradise Metal, provided a separate statement to Pitchfork clarifying the cultural context of the ceremony and distancing the religious act from political support:
“In Greek Orthodox practice, priests routinely perform agiasmos, blessing ceremonies for homes, shops, businesses, schools, public institutions, military facilities and other premises. A politician or political organisation inviting a local priest to bless new premises therefore does not, by itself, establish that either the priest or the church endorses that organisation. The important distinction is between performing a religious blessing and giving a political endorsement.”
Concluding his statement, Father Dionysios Tabakis announced his withdrawal from his upcoming performance at the Making Time festival in Philadelphia, indicating a desire to step back from public life.
“I long again for peace, my hermitism, and to upload my music with passion and peace on my channel,” he noted. “I see and realize that my path and beliefs as an Orthodox Priest differ significantly from some of the values and cultural positions represented within contemporary experimental music festivals.”
Full statement from Father Dionysios Tabakis:
Good morning, my friends.
As far as my beliefs are concerned, they reflect my independent, unconventional and spontaneous character.
I don’t like to hide what I believe, but to declare openly what is in my soul, even if this sometimes makes me unpopular. Not wanting to fit into boxes has cost me many times.
As can be seen from my musical expression, I am in favor 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.
I have dedicated my entire life to helping my neighbor, and as a Priest for 31 years, I have not acquired even a chicken coop. My only assets are my furniture and my musical instruments.
And I explain:
1st. Regarding the consecration ceremony at a local office of Golden Dawn
This took place in 2013, when Golden Dawn was represented in the Greek Parliament and was at that time a legal political party. After they asked my superior authority, the Metropolis, for the consecration to be performed, as political parties and municipal groups sometimes do, the Metropolis sent me there on official duty. During my years as a Priest, I have also attended other consecration ceremonies connected with other political and municipal groups.
I am against Nationalism because it has only brought blood and wars to humanity. The only ones who have interests in nationalism and borders are the weapons factories that spread death. Besides, my grandparents from Crete fought Hitler and Nazism, so I follow their spirit.
In fact, one reason I have removed the frets from my guitar is my mental need not to be confined to borders.
2nd. On the issue of homosexuality
My view on homosexuality is the same as that of the Orthodox Church for 2000 years, nothing more, nothing less.
We owe homosexual people love and acceptance because many have at times experienced great rejection from their environment, especially from their families.
Over the years, homosexual people have also come to me for confession, and I have always received them with acceptance and love.
I remember once a brother and a sister came to confession. Both were troubled and struggling, according to their understanding of their faith, with questions of repentance and sexuality. After the prayer I read to them, I embraced the young man, and I could see how relieved he was that someone had made him feel important and accepted.
I also always respect the freedom of my fellow man. After all, with freedom we sin and with freedom we repent. It is better to sin with freedom than to be virtuous with oppression.
These are my views as a person and as a Priest, always expressed with love and delicacy towards my fellow man.
Having clarified these matters, I would now like to return to the life and work that are most natural to me.
I long again for peace, my hermitism, and to upload my music with passion and peace on my channel. I see and realize that my path and beliefs as an Orthodox Priest differ significantly from some of the values and cultural positions represented within contemporary experimental music festivals.
Thank you for your appreciation and respect.
May you always be happy and gain Paradise.
Priest Dionysios Tabakis
