Bishop Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis suggests public holiday on May 27 to mark Easter

Bishop Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis has suggested the government declare May 27 as a public holiday so that people can go to church for belated Easter celebrations.

Church services are being held without congregations under decrees to contain the spread of coronavirus but are being broadcast on TV and the radio.

The Council of Ministers meets tomorrow and is widely expected to extend the lock down until the end of April, effectively meaning that all Easter week services will also be held in empty churches.

There has been growing speculation that the government will ask the church to hold services on May 27 for Easter celebrations, as is the case with Greece.

The bishop told Omega TV that the resurrection mass cannot be moved to another date. However, a celebration can be held 40 days after — symbolising the 40 days Christ remained on earth after the resurrection.

This would mean that Easter services would go ahead as normal without congregations on April 19.

But people could go to church on May 27 which is the eve of the feast day of the Ascension of Jesus Christ.

“This is the last day when we crack eggs and say Christ is Risen,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a message on the occasion of Easter, Archbishop Chrysostomos expressed the hope that results in the coming days will allow the government to ease restrictions on the faithful going to church.

But he said everyone needed to work collectively to stop the pandemic. He cited three reasons – not to mourn lives, to be able soon to perform our religious duties and to avert a large-scale financial crisis.

He acknowledge the faithful’s desire to participate in the sacraments, particularly during Holy week, but said that those who have true faith can and do pray wherever they are.

“If we really love God and therefore our fellow human beings, who are the image of God, our goal should be to end the pandemic in our country,” he concluded.

— Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com

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