Serbian Orthodox Church Australia and New Zealand - SHARING OUR IDEAS & BELIEFS Views about Organ and Tissue Donation

The position of the Serbian Orthodox Church in specific regarding ORGAN and TISSUE

DONATION is one in the same as that of the Orthodox Church in general.

The Orthodox Church fully respects the dignity and individual integrity of the human person

as created by God in His image and likeness and endowed with free will. Therefore, the

question of organ and tissue donation is left to the personal choice of the individual in

consultation with their spiritual father and medical doctor.

That having been said, as permitted by the Orthodox Church, the individual is guided to

understand the following points of reference when making their choice:

1. Firstly, if it is a "living donation" this can be made as long as the life of

the donor is never brought to question. In such cases, it is permitted to

donate duplicate organs, the removal of which would not be fatal, such

as kidneys and the like; or even sections of skin that would not

compromise the physical appearance of the individual donor.

2. Secondly, any "post-mortem donation" is possible, following full

biological death. However, the Orthodox Church understands the body

to be the temple of the Holy Spirit and requests that special care be

given to the donor's body in the process of harvesting and in preparation

for proper burial. The Orthodox Church does not condone cremation.

+IRINEJ

Bishop of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand

The Serbian Orthodox Church

Position of the Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Bishop of Oceania:

Two Government flyers on Organ and Tissue donations: