LAST UPDATE: 15:52
The German government has forbidden the participation of the faithful in the Mystery of Holy Communion. Although the government allows the faithful to attend the Divine Liturgy, the offering of the Holy Communion with a spoon is banned.
This was announced in an encyclical issued by Metropolitan Augustinos of Germany. The Metropolitan also stated that “while we can all go to church, but not all of us can receive the Holy Communion except for the priests,” and emphasized that “it is the saddest and most painful measure I have ever been forced to take in my forty-year ministry as Metropolitan of Germany.”
In particular, in the encyclical to the faithful and the clergy of the German Metropolis, Metropolitan Augustinos emphasizes that:
“In view of the opening of the holy temples in the German territory, Legislative Decrees have been issued, which, in addition to the other security measures that have already been adopted, go so far as to regulate the manner of distributing the Eucharist, that is, to prohibit Holy Communion from the chalice with the use of the Spoon.
Therefore, with deep sorrow, I would like to inform you that, until the date of the expiry of the above Legislative Decrees, althought we can all attend church services, no one can receive the Holy Communion, but the priests who perform the Liturgy.
It is understood that the Measures to prevent dissemination of Coronavirus issued by the authorities are valid in full and until a new decision.
The forced exclusion of our faithful from the Holy Communion is the saddest and most painful measure I have ever had to take in my forty-year ecclesiastical ministry as Metropolitan of Germany. I fervently pray to the Lord of Glory to revoke this decision as soon as possible.”