The Holy Synod issued a new encyclical that specifies how the Holy Week and Easter will be celebrated.
As provided for in the encyclical, the Epitaphios procession will take place inside the temples, while the Paschal troparion will be chanted in the temples on Holy Saturday.
The bells of the temples will be tolling mournfully and cheerfully, but this, as the Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos said, will not be a call to the faithful.
As pointed out in the encyclical, loudspeakers are not allowed outside the churches.
It is also stated that the services will be conducted behind closed doors as part of the preventive measures.
However, depending on the conditions, the churches will be open for two hours only for individual prayer (11.00-13.00), except on Holy Friday which will be open for four hours (13.00-17.00).
As pointed out, all services will be conducted in a plain and modest way, according to the ethos and tradition of the Orthodox Church.
Those services that will not be streamed on television or online “must comply with the provisions of the joint ministerial decision” in order to avoid malicious comments against the Church.
