Speaking with ANT1 TV station on the occasion of yesterday’s meeting of the Standing Holy Synod, Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios referred to an “unprecedented situation.”
“The coronavirus has come, but, when it will be gone, things will have changed,” he said while stressing that “the Holy Synod address the matter with responsibility.” The Metropolitan noted that the proposal put forward by the minister of Education and Religion Affairs regarding the operation of the churches was welcomed.
He said, however, “Not celebrating Easter, the major celebration of Christianity, is an unprecedented situation,” but stressed that “there is no problem” since “it is not imposed for ideological reasons, but for the protection of the public health.”
“After all, prayers are a public event, when one prays, one prays for the whole world,” he said, explaining that “prayer is not affected on the basis of the place where it is recited.”
Finally, regarding the decision made by the Holy Synod to openly celebrate the Resurrection on May 26, he explained that “every Sunday from Easter until then, it is a paschal liturgy, so we always celebrate. As long as this logic exists, the Church has thought to take advantage of it.”
“I wish we shall not find ourselves grieving for yet more victims until then,” he concluded.
