The Holy Synod called on the government on Tuesday to revisit coronavirus restrictions after it held a special meeting to set an official line.
Paphos Bishop Georgios said the Holy Synod completely understood the government’s concern and efforts to protect public health, saying the church is also troubled by the virus.
The new restrictions, however, are excessive and unjust for the church, he said.
The meeting on Tuesday comes days after a new round of restrictive measures have slammed the brakes on most social activity and are currently set to last until at least December 31.
Speaking shortly afterwards, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou reiterated that public health is his top priority.
“As far as church attendance is concerned, we understand the need of churchgoers to attend services during the holiday but our priority is public health,” Ioannou said on Tuesday afternoon.
The latest measures mean church services can be carried out but must be done so in the absence of a congregation. Weddings, baptisms and christenings are allowed a total of 10 people in the church.
Bishop Georgios further said that given the declared position of the authorities, and the public’s fatigue and psychological stress, the Holy Synod had expected a different approach to church services – particularly during the Christmas holidays.
The bishop also said that churchgoers sacrificed much of Easter and that they cannot do so again for the holiday period and each Sunday.
For some, he said, Christmas may mean simply exchanging gifts but for the faithful there is no Christmas without the church and for this reason the church should not be placed in the same category as other areas where public gatherings occur.
He argued that if shops are allowed to operate, by adhering to health protocols, then the same emphasis – if not more so – should be placed on the church.
Bishop Georgios compared churches to hospitals, whereby one treats physical conditions and the other handles spiritual ailments.
But Ioannou said: “We must understand that we are at a critical point. I want to express the need to abide by the measures, the severity of the situation and not the how and where of measures changing.
“We all need to take individual and collective responsibility. We see that a portion of the population does not comply with the measures,” he said.
The church itself has come in for a fair deal of criticism from many in the public, as photos and videos shared widely on social media have shown little to no social distancing of mask wearing being observed during services.
