MOSCOW, may 4 – RIA Novosti. People could not for Easter to get into the temples of the Pskov Archdiocese, because earlier some of the priests held in churches with the participation of the congregation and, thus, violated the agreement reached between the Church and the authorities of the Pskov region, said the Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov Tikhon (Shevkunov).
“We have agreed with the Governor (Pskov region – ed.), Mikhail Vedernikov – he is an Orthodox man, – that of the Annunciation, the Entry into Jerusalem, all the days of Holy Week and Easter Sunday we serve on the street. But on our first Sunday worship service during the feast of the Annunciation – part of the priests served in the downtrodden people of the temples”, – said Metropolitan Tikhon on Sunday in the program “Parsuna” on TV channel “Spas”.
According to him, at the same time, most priests and parishioners in the Archdiocese was preparing to worship on the street: made audio equipment made special thrones, ordered icons and “put on a lot of forces.”
“In the end, the Governor and sanitary authorities forbade to serve on the street. The sanitary inspector said that “there are no guarantees, still stuffed in the temples.” Thus, the “giperbolicheskie” people who do not want to serve on the street, deprived of all the other people in the Pskov Archdiocese of worship in Holy week and at Easter,” – said the Hierarch of the Russian Church.
Metropolitan Tikhon said that he forgave offending priests, but refused to allow them to worship, yet not change the epidemiological situation. He also recalled that priests are citizens of the country and urged to be “ready for anything”, as there is criminal liability for actions that caused human disease coronavirus.
“We hope that soon will serve on the street, as soon as the peak (epidemic – ed.)”, – concluded the Metropolitan Tikhon.
the Moscow Patriarchate at the request of the chief sanitary doctor of the capital ordered the clergy of Moscow and Moscow region on April 13 to hold services without the participation of the congregation. Later, these restrictions were extended until further order of the hierarchy. Similar measures were introduced in many dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church.
