Speaking on ART TV, Bishop Chrysostomos of Mozambique about the measures against the pandemic in Mozambique in general and about the Church, in particular, the Holy Communion and offered his opinion on the current situation.
In particular, the Bishop of Mozambique said that the churches were closed for seven months from the beginning of the pandemic, ie from early March to mid-October. The ban on services did not apply only to the Orthodox Church but to all denominations and religions. However, the churches were opened with a maximum of fifty faithful inside the church and a special arrangement of seats as provided by the state.
Regarding Holy Communion, he said that there was no ban and the faithful continued to receive the Holy Communion. This was done on the basis of the belief that Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ, as he stated, and that it does not transmit diseases and viruses.
The Bishop of Mozambique aligned with Ecumenical Patriarch’s view, who had stated that the faithful are in danger and not the faith. In addition, he stated that Holy Communion was not a cause of infection, but inside the church, everyone should be careful and keep their distance.
Finally, the message of the Bishop of Mozambique was that everyone should be united to achieve things. He also said that we must be careful and pray to overcome this health crisis. In addition, he urged the faithful to listen to the experts only to return to normalcy and to be able to celebrate the feasts together.
