The Patriarch asks faithful to stay home

The Ecumenical Patriarch called on all Christians to adhere to the restrictions and stay home for the Easter holidays.

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew called on all Christians remain to celebrate Easter at home because of the pandemic coronavirus, as the Church will be closed, writes UKRINFORM.

“Pandemic of the new coronavirus changed our daily life and our Church life. The Church closed for our believers… We are staying in their homes to protect themselves from the lethal virus; but we do not exist in the “parent house”… However, we had to take this difficult decision, extending these rules for Holy week. To protect everyone, without exception,” said the Ecumenical Patriarch.

He noted that this decision is not a decision against the believers.

“We must recognize and accept that these measures do not affect our faith… These temporary restrictive measures are not the decisions against the Church,” he said.

The Patriarch claims that a pandemic is an opportunity to better realize the value of life values.

“This time will pass quickly; pandemic weakened; by the grace of God will heal the wounds. I pray that we all come out of this crisis, realizing the depth of all things and have experienced “positive transformation”, understanding the power of communion with God, which is “life and light”, and realizing the value of the divine gifts of health and life, sacrifice and the rejection of individual rights for the sake of love,” said Bartholomew.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphanius appealed to Ukrainians and called on to stay home for Easter.

In parallel, the head of the UGCC encouraged the faithful not to come to Easter in the Church.

News from the Reporter.net Telegram. Subscribe to our channel https://t.me/korrespondentnet