METROPOLITAN OF VLADIMIR URGES BELIEVERS NOT TO ATTEND CHURCHES DURING NON-WORKING DAYS, DESPITE THEIR BEING OPEN
During the period of non-working days, declared to start on 30 October and continue to 7 November, churches of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (RPTsMP) in Vladimir oblast will not be closed, but they should not be attended. This paradoxical announcement was made on 26 October by Metropolitan of Vladimir and Suzdal Tikhon, who is quoted by 33Live.
"Churches will be open for attendance. A year ago the Holy Synod and His Holiness the patriarch sent us instructions about how to conduct events during the pandemic. We urge those who could, not to visit a church during these days. They should not attend," Metropolitan Tikhon emphasized.
He noted that the "insidious disease" forces medics and priests to risk their lives. During the period of the pandemic, three clergymen in the Vladimir diocese of the RPTsMP have died from complications of COVID-19. However the hierarch continues to believe that "the country will be able to conquer the coronavirus."
"Our public health service is well supplied. Of course, there are not always sufficient medicines, beds, and specialists. This is a common misfortune and we should not give way to fear," the metropolitan declared. (tr. by PDS, posted 26 October 2021)
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