The obligation to present a negative rapid or PCR test result or a prior infection certificate for the entrance to the temples was highlighted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced updated entry restrictions for unvaccinated adults and other relevant measures, effective as of Monday, November 22.
Unvaccinated adults, who up until now were barred from indoor cafes and restaurants, will also be blocked at all public indoor venues, including cinemas, theatres, gyms, museums, and stadiums, even if they could present a negative coronavirus test result. This measure does not include supermarkets and food stores, pharmacies and urban transport, long-distance coaches and trains, churches and shrines, the retail sector, hairdressers, and outdoor bars and cafes. “This is an immediate act of protection and, of course, an indirect push for vaccination,” noted the premier.
Concerning churches, the unvaccinated public can enter only by presenting a negative rapid or PCR test result provided by a private lab, or a prior infection certificate.
It is recalled that the Permanent Holy Synod, in a recent Encyclical (November 4), had appealed to the faithful and clergy to observe the protection measures against the coronavirus.
The Encyclical encouraged people to get vaccinated, as “indicated by the medical community as an essential measure to protect against the pandemic,” while urging those who are not vaccinated to get tested with either a rapid or PCR test.
For priests, chanters, and persons working in churches, the obligation is to conduct two tests a week, with the control being done by the church councils.
