The Standing Holy Synod of Greece expressed its request to the government and the Prime Minister to operate the temples during the ten days of Christmas, just as they did previously.
The revelation was made by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia, a member of the Standing Holy Synod of Greece, in a special online broadcast of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia on Facebook, which was actively attended by tens of thousands of believers, mostly young people. Metropolitan Gabriel stressed that the Standing Holy Synod of Greece asked the Prime Minister and the government to allow the temples to remain open with the strict observance and adherence to all the specifications, orders and instructions of the competent health authorities of the State and, of course, always in the light of the evolution of the pandemic and the epidemiological data within this and next month.
The Metropolitan of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia characteristically noted that the Church does not fight science, nor did ever see it as an… opponent, as some claim, for the service of other purposes.
Regarding the diversity that exists within the Church, the Metropolitan pointed out that “we should listen to the official Church and not to every single voice that does not express it”. The Metropolitan recommended, in fact, the faithful to follow all the instructions of the competent health authorities, as “the spaces of the temples are perishable as the human body, and it is necessary to protect ourselves and each other.”
“There is,” he underlined, “complete identification with the scientific propositions and confidence in science.”
Regarding the sacrament of the Holy Communion, the Metropolitan pointed out that this “is a matter of personal faith of each individual” and that “it is not obligatory, as no one is “forced” to participate in it”.
“The Holy Communion,” said Metropolitan Gabriel, “does not transmit viruses, but eternal life. The viruses – he underlined – are easily transmitted and spread in a mass gathering, in overcrowded conditions. That is why we accept all the relevant restrictions for the protection of public health and the life of the people, of the superior i.e. interest, as without the man there is no Church”.
The intention of the Standing Holy Synod of Greece, said the Metropolitan, is not to go against the State. “After all, for all the critical issues that concern our nation, the Church cooperates with the State”, he emphasized characteristically.
The Metropolitan continued saying: “However, we see the mental state of the people being endangered due to fear and due to the conditions of the “lockdown”. For this reason we asked the Prime Minister and the government to keep the temples open during the period of Christmas”.
After all, as he said, “The relationship with God helps in the spiritual and mental strengthening of people”.
“The Church of Greece does not oppose the experts, but it expresses its faithful people who are anxious and must take care of the mental health and balance of all people,” he added.
As for the vaccine he was the first from the Church that described it as a “gift from God” and stressed that “the well-known and dangerous conspiracies should not be involved in this issue”. “Let us be patient and let us have confidence in the harmonious relationship between Church and Science. If it is something sly, it will be seen, it will not remain hidden. “A lie has short legs, after all,” he said characteristically.
Metropolitan Gabriel, in the special broadcast watched by about 70,000 people on Facebook, concluded: “No believer as a person is above the Church. Our obedience to the Church is a necessary element for our salvation.” However, “people should not feel that our dogma is being fought.” “Our faith is not threatened; we just have to overcome the pandemic with the help of God and the scientists who are fighting for it day and night.”
Source: ANA-MPA