Church of Greece decries use of deceptive TV footage of past Epiphany services for reports on this year’s celebration

A handful of prefectures and regions around Greece were placed this week in a state of a stricter lockdown by public health authorities, due to a surge in the number of confirmed Covid-19 infections, and for at least until Jan. 18.

The decision affects the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, the south-central Viotia prefecture, the southern prefecture of Argolida, as well as the municipality of Sparta.

Meanwhile, the permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece this week issued an announcement decrying the recent broadcast of news footage from previous years’ coverage of the Jan. 6 Epiphany services – whereby a completely deceptive image was conveyed to viewers.

Outdoor Epiphany services and the annual Sanctification of the Waters ceremony were suspended this year, due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, several newscasts broadcast file footage from previous years, misleading television viewers to believe that hierarchs and clerics ignored the decision, and that hundreds of faithful congregated around the outdoor services without face masks or complying with public distancing.

The misleading news segments come after a series of fake news, some bordering on the blasphemous, attempting to portray the Church of Greece as a violator of pandemic-related restrictions.

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