Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Filadelfeia, Irakleio, and Chalkidona spoke to Realfm about the opening of the churches and the Holy Communion.
“After an unprecedented Easter, we return to normalcy with God’s help.” The Church is now adapting as much as possible in order to protect public health and people’s health, which is a very important good. We will adopt and follow all the necessary measures based on the instructions of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) so that our faithful can adapt to the churches,” stressed the Metropolitan.
As he noted, “the Church cooperated with the Greek State, and made unprecedented decisions, essentially emptying herself. She overcame her limits, it was difficult and painful.”
The Metropolitan also said that one of the measures to be taken in the churches provided that more services would be held so that on Sunday the faithful could be divided into smaller groups. In that way, any kind of mass gathering, which is an undesirable situation, will be avoided.
Regarding the Holy Communion, Metropolitan Gabriel pointed out: “The Church always calls on people to come and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. It is not peremptory for every believer who will be at the church. Whoever believes will receive the Holy Communion, whoever does not believe and has any doubt, it is good that this faithful should not receive it. Church exerts no pressure on nobody.”