With a Joint Ministerial Decision of the Ministers of Education and Religions, and Health in Greece, new temporary restrictive measures are provided in the places of worship, of all religions and doctrines for the period from 12.04.2020 to 20.4.2020.
The new regulations to prevent the transmission of coronavirus to places of worship provide, inter alia:
a) Services, worship gatherings, rites and all kinds of religious ceremonies in all, without exception, the places of religious worship of every doctrine and religion, regardless of their size and capacity, in the whole Territory of Greece, are forbidden in the presence of the public, for precautionary reasons.
b) Services are allowed to be performed behind closed door, exclusively by a religious official and auxiliary staff (eg cantor) whose total number does not exceed four (4) persons physically present. The legally religious official is responsible for taking all necessary measures in accordance with the JMD. It is not allowed, even behind closed doors, to perform services in places of worship located in private estates, buildings, etc.
c) Public visits in the monasteries, individually or in groups, are forbidden. It is allowed to perform liturgies and services in the monasteries without the presence of the public.
d) In addition to television and radio, independent internet broadcasting of the Liturgy is allowed.
It is reminded that in the meeting of the Standing Holy Synod of April 1st, the Church of Greece requested to perform the services of the Holy Week even behind closed doors.
Following the completion of the video conference of the Standing Holy Synod, it was decided to submit the above request to the Government.
Archbishop of Athens stressed that in the services the total number of chanters does not exceed two and the total number of the physically presents is not more than five, with the exception of the Metropolitan churches of the Holy Metropolises, where the total number of the physically presents shall not exceed ten. All attendees should declare on their honour that they are “asymptomatic” and will be in line with the protection measures established.
