Cyprus – Archbishop to argue for conditional opening of churches
The Archbishop is expected to suggest to the president that alternate church services be held on weekdays as a way of preventing overcrowding on Sundays.
Local media reported on Tuesday that Archbishop Chrysostomos will argue his case for churches to be subjected to the same criteria of social distancing as businesses. This would mean, on average, one person per eight square metres.
It is also understood that he will request church visits be permissible via the SMS system for half an hour.
Tomorrow, President Nicos Anastasiades is expected to announce a decision on the relaxation of the lockdown. He is being briefed by medical experts who have said they are in favour of lifting some restrictions.
Experts had previously said, however, that businesses or events that include people will be amongst the final places to see restrictions lifted. This included church services open to the public.
The lifting of the lockdown is reportedly due to take place in four stages. Phileleftheros reported that the Archbishop would argue for restrictions on churches to be eased in the first phase.
It said the Archbishop: “shares the state’s fears and will propose measures to the President that do not overturn the state’s plans on the one hand and offer options to the faithful on the other that do not pose a great risk to them.”
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