The churches and all the places of worship will continue to operate in Greece under restrictions and preventive measures.
According to the new joint ministerial decision issued today by the ministers of Education and of Health, which enters into force from June 6 to July 9, the faithful are required to keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other inside the church and the ratio is one faithful per 5 sq.m.
Religious ministers must ensure that the maximum authorized number of people, the ratio of believers per square meter, the social distancing rules, and hygiene measures to prevent the COVID-19 transmission, as defined by National Committee for Public Health Protection against COVID-19, are respected.
These restrictions and recommendations also apply to monasteries. Regarding Mount Athos, the ban on visits and all the necessary precautionary measures for the monasteries of the Athonite State are decided by the civil governor of Mount Athos with the prior notification of the Holy Community. The civil governor decided how many visitors are allowed to enter daily the territory of Mount Athos. The civil governor ensures that all protection measures are implemented properly, whether they are taken at a local or State level.