Eastern Orthodox Church Halts Services Until End of March

The spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians around the world, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, has ordered churches to halt public services and rites until the end of March. This decision comes amid the global spread of the coronavirus, with the patriarch urging parishioners to stay home to protect their own health and that of others.

In a televised statement, Bartholomew I said, “This trial, too, shall pass. The clouds will clear, and the Sun of Righteousness will eliminate the deadly effect of the virus. But our lives will have changed forever.” Churches will remain open only for private prayers, while monasteries are permitted to continue services for monks, though religious visitors will not be allowed entry.

The halt in public services occurs during the lead-up to Eastern Orthodox Easter on April 19, a time of great significance for the church. The decision marks a shift from earlier resistance to reducing services, even as the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic and emphasized the need for social distancing to curb its spread.

Epidemiologists have raised concerns about church rituals such as communion, where a priest dips a shared spoon into a chalice of blessed wine and gives it to parishioners. The act involves close contact and can facilitate the spread of COVID-19, particularly among the elderly, who are more vulnerable to the virus.

In Greece, where the church holds significant political influence, the church council initially resisted calls to scale back services. They maintained that receiving holy communion, even during a pandemic, was a “potent manifestation of love.” However, the Greek government eventually intervened, suspending services in all churches until the end of March following a televised address by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who urged citizens to “listen to scientists.”

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