Many believers went to the churches throughout Greece yesterday to celebrate the Resurrection in a climate of great emotion and reverence. Observing all preventive measures, the faithful solemnly chanted “Christ is Risen” at all the churches while welcoming the Holy Fire in many parishes.
Many faithful, those provided by the relevant joint ministerial decision, were inside the churches, but many attended the service at the churchyard, as required by the mass gathering measures.
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens presided over the Easter Vigil at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens on the Apodosis (Leave-Taking) of Pascha.
The Holy Fire had been transferred to all churches and monasteries and the faithful had the opportunity to go to church and many received the Holy Communion.
The Resurrection service took place yesterday at midnight, the day of the leave-taking of Pascha, so that the faithful could all chant together “Christ is Risen” at the churches, which remained closed at Easter due to the lockdown measures.
The solemn Resurrection Pannychida took place last night “for the faithful to revive the Paschal joy, which they were deprived of due to the coronavirus pandemic” as stated in the encyclical issued by the Archdiocese.
It is reminded that this decision was made by the Standing Holy Synod since all the Holy Week services took place behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the faithful watched them on television or online.
