Metropolitan of Athinagoras of Belgium issued a communiqué on the developments regarding the coronavirus spread.
In the communiqué, concern has been expressed about the coronavirus spread in Belgium, stressing that “yesterday’s health situation is not that of today nor that of tomorrow.”
So the Metropolis announces that all liturgies will be suspended from Friday, March 13, 2020, at midnight until April 3, 2020, noting that “the development of the situation will continue to be assessed on a day-to-day basis.”
Read the full communiqué issued by the Metropolis of Belgium:
There is widespread concern about the rapid coronavirus spread in Belgium. Indeed, yesterday’s state of health in the country is not the same as today’s or tomorrow’s.
The measures taken by the Belgian National Security Council (CNS) following the meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at the request of the prime minister and in consultation with the relevant minister-presidents, reinforce existing measures, with “additional social distancing measures in order to prevent the spread of the pandemic.”
All competent administrative authorities wish to take action and to inform all citizens as well as implement the measures decided. The country’s civil authorities urge ‘the measures decided to apply everywhere in the same way. The primary objective is to safeguard public health.” Thus “all recreational activities (sports, cultural, folklore, etc.) are canceled irrespective of the number of participants, whether public or private.”
In this context, it is announced that all liturgies will be suspended from Friday March 13, 2020 at midnight until April 3, 2020, Development of the situation will continue to be assessed on a day-to-day basis.
In the days of this trial for all humankind, it is our duty as Christians to pray to our Lord to give the desirable solution to all of us. During the Great Lent period, may our omnipotent Lord give us strength in our spiritual struggle.
12 March 2020
† Metropolitan Athinagoras of Belgium
