With the condition of the Covid pandemic clearly improved compared to last year, thousands of Orthodox believers in Australia are expected to celebrate Easter.
As reported by Neos Kosmos, the Ministry of Health of Victoria has published a series of instructions and recommendations, for priests and faithful, to have a “COVIDSafe” Easter, focusing on hygiene measures, keeping distances, and the use of a mask inside the temples.
In particular, according to the Ministry, restrictions apply depending on where the services or other religious events take place during the days of Easter and the priests must make sure that the temples comply with the coronavirus rules that are in force by the State.
Also, if the number of believers is expected to exceed the maximum allowable limit, which depends on the size of the temple based on the square meters, the proposed framework must be observed.
Otherwise, the Ministry of Health emphasizes that it must be ensured that the rule is observed for one person per two square meters.
For religious processions outside the temples, such as the procession of the Epitaph, the Ministry of Health notes that the number of people who can participate must be within the limits of the rules, ie up to 200 people.
In every place – temple or other location where an Easter event will take place – after April 23, the attendees must be electronically registered.
The use of different doors for entry and exit is recommended, while good ventilation of the interior spaces with the opening of the windows is also necessary.
If there is a large number of attendees, the use of outdoor space is recommended, if possible.
Priests are asked to encourage the maintenance of a distance of 1.5 m between the worshipers and families to sit together as far as possible.
It is recommended, for believers and priests, the use of a face mask if it is not possible to maintain a distance of 1.5 m.
In churches, it is necessary to properly and often clean the surfaces that are most touched by the faithful, but also microphones and headphones that may be used.
