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After closing for over a month due to Coronavirus, the Church of Ethiopia opens the door to the faithful
Borkena
May 14,2020
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has decided to reopen churches that had been closed in early April due to fear of COVID-19. The press release issued by the Holy Synod after the conclusion of its council stresses that this will be done “carefully”. The reason behind the Synod’s decision is that “the interruption of Church services has affected the spiritual lives of the congregation and because they cannot live apart from the Church.”
The decision to close churches had been controversial at the time. Many had asked whether Church services could not be carried out with the necessary care to prevent the spread of the virus and how the Church can interrupt services that are considered essential such as the baptism of children and funeral prayers.
During the council, the team presented a report established by the Church to carry out the activities necessary to prevent the spread of the virus within Church complexes. According to the report, the police intervened without question in the matter and began to guard the doors of the churches and acted in ways that are considered crimes according to the tradition of the Church. Furthermore, they had also cracked down on members of the clergy and the congregation. The report details cases of forced action and misconduct by police officers. For these reasons, the team had requested that all preventive measures in and around the churches be carried out by Sunday school members and youth who are members of the congregation.
The council of the Holy Synod is held twice a year, in May and in November. Most of the members of the Holy Synod come to Addis Ababa from all over the country and from other parts of the world. The decision to close churches was made by the Permanent Synod, a five-member committee of the Synod that acts and makes decisions on behalf of the Holy Synod until the Council of the Holy Synod is held.
After hearing the report, members of the Holy Synod reportedly criticized the Permanent Synod for its decision to close churches and for allowing police intervention. The members of the Permanent Synod, in response, have responded by saying “the measure was taken on our behalf but we know nothing about it.”
Consequently, the Holy Synod decided that the churches reopen. Preventive measures should be taken during services, but church administration must implement them with the cooperation of Sunday school members and youth members of the congregation.
The Holy Synod, in its press release, has also called for Charity among citizens at this difficult time and urged people to continue supporting the construction of the Great Renaissance Dam of Ethiopia (GERD).
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