The Autocephalous Church of Greece’s Metropolitan of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia, His Eminence Gabriel, spoke this week to the Orthodoxia news agency, underlining that without the Holy Eucharist there is no Church. At the same time, His Eminence acknowledged that the state’s ban on the partaking of Holy Communion was extreme, but possibly necessary. Gabriel said “…we all have a responsibility to safeguard God’s gifts”.
In a related development, a national association of theologians in the country has called on Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias to allow those in need to visit their nearest Church for brief personal worship and prayer.