The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete announced a package of measures to prevent the coronavirus spread.
It recommends that the faithful should follow all the guidelines provided by the competent authorities while lectures, activities, and gatherings are suspended. The liturgies will be held at the temples while it is recommended that those from vulnerable groups should stay home.
The Divine Communion, which has been the main issue over the past couple of days, will be offered since “the faithful attend voluntarily the mystery of the Holy Communion with true and steadfast faith.”
Read the full announcement of the Church of Crete:
The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete held an extraordinary meeting on Friday, March 13, 2020, discussed the necessary measures in response to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, which the Church of Crete should take, and announces the following:
1. Initially, the Church of Crete draws particular attention to the duty of all citizens to comply with the hygiene guidelines and the mandates of the competent state authorities, in accordance with the announcement issued by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Church of Crete adopts with responsibility all the measures the Greek State is taking to address this emergency. The same will be done in whatever else is needed, as the disease progresses, in the immediate future.
2. The Church of Crete announces that the holy liturgies at that time will take place in the temples. However, it is highly recommended that those belonging to vulnerable groups and the elderly should stay home and not to go to the church in order to avoid coming into contact with other people. If the evolution of the disease in the next period leads the Greek State to decide to take extraordinary measures, then the Church of Crete will hold a meeting in order to examine carefully the new situation.
3. The Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ. Having true and steadfast faith, the faithful attend voluntarily the mystery of the Holy Communion.
4. The Holy Archdiocese and the Holy Metropolises of the Church of Crete suspended scheduled lectures, activities of the spiritual and cultural centers, various schools, gatherings, Bible Study Circles, Sunday schools and all training activities, as well as pilgrimage tours, in accordance with the decisions by the relevant state authorities.
5. The public will be received at the offices of the Holy Archdiocese and the Holy Metropolises of the Church of Crete from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.6. An explanatory synodical encyclical will be read next Sunday at the churches and will be published in the local media for further information.
7. There will special prayers at the temples during the Rejoicings liturgies and the Sunday Divine Liturgy.
