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Just one day before the official government announcements through the Prime Minister on the need for a second closure throughout the country and after his delegation’s visit to the Palacio de los Maximos was canceled due to developments in those days, the Holy Permanent Synod informed Kyriakos. Mitsotakis and the government for the situation within the Church, calling for the temples to remain open but also establishing their own “red line” during the Christmas holidays.
the www.orthodoxia.info today reveals the letter, which is signed by the Archbishop as president of the Holy Permanent Synod and clarifies that he cannot accept the closure of the temples at Christmas, speaking of strong reactions within it.
“In the context of this good mood and the excellent cooperation between you and us so far, we ask that you reconsider the decisions to close the holy temples, in view of the upcoming Christmas and Twelfth Days, because it is impossible to close the temples.” and many of them, together with hierarchs and priests from all over the country, send relevant protest resolutions to the Holy Synod ”, the DIS clarifies to the Prime Minister, who reminds that it not only cooperated with and wisely handled those voices that questioned the need to measures.
WE ARE ATTACKED BY JOURNALISTS, POLITICIANS AND SCIENTISTS
What seems to have particularly bothered the DIS are the daily attacks, as it characteristically characterizes, that divide society, spread hatred and turn a public health problem into a religious problem.
On the other hand, the Holy Synod supports to this day lots of daily attacks by journalistic groups, but also public interventions by parliamentarians or scientists, which divide society, sow hatred, attack the worship practice of the Church accusing the Government of the protection of public health, among other things, in a religious matter “is typically mentioned in the letter of the synod.
Although the letter is very soft and discreet, the DIS does not hesitate to ask the Prime Minister his concerns about the treatment the Church receives, speaking of “phobic treatment of places of worship” by the State, even characterizing the fine from € 1,500. that he will be called upon to pay those priests who do not comply with the “exaggerated” measures, but at the same time unnecessary since, as the archbishop and the synodical hierarchs usually affirm, “in no case is there an intention to violate the law.”
In fact, the Synod compares what was allowed until that day in entertainment centers where there was a possibility of fullness up to 50% with accommodation for up to 300 people in the same place.
PROVIDE FAITH MOVEMENT TO TEMPLES AND CEMETERIES
Knowing that the Government would announce tough new measures due to the rapid increase in cases nationwide, the Holy Synod was quick to anticipate developments that, as is clear from the decisions, were completely different.
Among the main demands of the Church was allowing the faithful to enter temples, citing a “constitutionally guaranteed right”, and asked the government to allow up to 50 people to attend services, regardless of their level of supervision. noting that the ICC’s decisions are aimed at “addressing the pandemic, preserving and maintaining social peace, and supporting the popular members of the Church, the Orthodox crew who maintain a living relationship with the Divine Church, the Church in general and its shepherds “.
As Synodal Metropolitans often write in their letter, the DIS request is “To remain open all day and allow one person for every 10 m2 to attend the Sacred Temples and about fifty people regardless of the level of supervision” explaining that “This will facilitate The greatest is the sanctifying mission of the pastoral Church, which must pray and pray for the health of this rational flock.In addition, it will play a decisive role in maintaining order among the laity of the Church because the feeling that the Church functions even Without its own physical presence it is a source of spiritual strength and optimism, as we have shown that we can manage it.
Especially on the subject of “individual prayer”, as reported in recent months, the ICC asks “Or in view of the traffic restriction measure we request as explicitly foreseen the movement of believers to the holy temples to carry out their duties constitutionally guaranteed religious and relatives in the cemeteries for the prayer and care of the memorials of their sleeping relatives, as far as open spaces are concerned ”.
Special reference is made to monasteries in which the JMC asks monks to go to church in groups. That is why the DIS proposes to lift this restriction, noting that especially in the convent there are monks who live together anyway and protest because they cannot understand why they are not allowed to go to church together.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INFORMATION DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE TREATMENT OF THE CHURCH
A particularly interesting point in the letter of the Holy Permanent Synod to the Prime Minister, revealed by orthodoxia.info, are the references to epidemiological data that, according to synodical hierarchs, do not justify the treatment of the Church.
The previous treatment does not seem to be justified at least by the epidemiological data published at the time, nor by the average age of the patients, nor by the high degree of compliance of the 8,500 clergymen of the Church of Greece since there were no known cases of the spread of the coronavirus. Temples “points to the DIS and continues:
“On the other hand, the new wave of pandemics did not break out after the pandemic celebrations of the main Christian holidays, but followed by summer holidays and large concentrations in urban centers.”
ANNOUNCEMENT IN GOVERNMENT
Well-informed sources of orthodoxia.info on the part of the Government indicate that the DIS letter not only did not strengthen the positions of the Church but also caused annoyance, something that was evident in the attitude of Megaro Maximos who recalled the overthrow of those who had decided Church in the first confinement through a tweet from the Prime Minister.
The channels of communication between the Church and the Government, the well-known counter-channels in the language of diplomacy, seem to have, instead of solutions, show a series of regrettable manipulations, as a result of which suspicion and voices have gained ground. they ask for “clarification of roles.” there is a lack of understanding and cooperation.
In between are the Prime Minister and the Archbishop who, in addition to their historical responsibilities, have to manage – each in their own way – the need for national unity that as the virus grows stronger and more tested.
As the Archbishop’s trusted interlocutor characteristically said, “His Beatitude was and always is for all Prime Ministers a co-founder for the benefit of the Homeland.”
After all, as long as the institutional path was followed, that is, the direct conversations between the Archbishop, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education and Religions, not only were painful surprises or surprises avoided, but the agreement was kept.
Source: Orthodoxy information
