Archbishop Chrysostomos on Tuesday urged the bishops of Morphou and Trimithountos to support and not undermine measures to keep people home to contain the spread of coronavirus.
“We should all join efforts, to call on people to stay home and follow the church services from TV and on the radio,” he said.
Police have launched a criminal investigation into whether a church service on Sunday by the Bishop of Morphou Neophytos was held in violation of decrees. The bishop had also castigated police officers who had gone to the church in Peristerona. Bishop of Trimithountos had last week urged the faithful to go to church, something prohibited by the decrees.
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In statements to CyBC, the archbishop urged the two bishops to stop behaving in this way.
“They are not young children to be scolded. I don’t think they need a lesson from me. They are educated men, they are theologists and this is the wrong mentality. And they will oblige the attorney general to say something and they will be offended,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, attorney general Costas Clerides said he was waiting for the results of the police inquiry in the Sunday church service by the Bishop of Morphou.
The archbishop urged everyone to be patient and that churches will re-open once the outbreak is over.
“Why should we disobey and risk infecting one another with the virus and then mourn victims? he queried.
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The president and ministers had listened to the doctors and the experts and decided accordingly.
“They know better than us. So we should obey,”he said.
As regards the Holy Light, the archbishop said he had asked that it not be transferred from Jerusalem this Easter as it cannot be shared with the faithful.
“I will take light from the candle at Saint John’s Cathedral and give to each parish,” he said.
Police have warned that a 9 pm curfew is in force for everyone except essential workers, and that any attempt to take lit candles from churches to homes was strictly prohibited.
