Georgia and Cyprus to lift curfew for Pascha

Tbilisi, April 28, 2021

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tbilisi. Photo: Facebook Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tbilisi. Photo: Facebook     

The Georgian Ministry of Health has decided to lift the nationwide curfew for one night, so that the nation’s millions of Orthodox Christians can celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. In Cyprus, the curfew will be delayed by several hours.

In Georgia, here is currently a restriction on travel from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, and due to the aggravation of the epidemiological situation in Georgia, the Ministry also ordered that urban public transport be suspended from May 3 to 12.

Thus, the new restrictions will come into force right after Pascha.

“During the night Liturgy on the Orthodox feast of Pascha, an exception will be made and the curfew from May 1 to 2 will be canceled, just for one day,” the Ministry of Health announced, reports Interfax-Religion.

According to Ministry data, there have been 304,272 cases of COVID infection in Georgia, with 4,042 deaths.

Meanwhile, in Cyprus, where there has been a strict lockdown since Monday, the Ministry of Health will postpone the curfew from 9:00 PM, as on other days, to 1:00 AM, to allow the faithful to celebrate Pascha, reports evropakipr.com.

The government has also introduced a number of other exceptions to the general rules. In particular, from April 26 to May 2, people can go to church without SMS permission, and on Pascha itself, they will be allowed to leave the house twice. On other days, Cypriots can leave the house only once per day after receiving permission from the state via SMS.

Services can be attended by up to 50 parishioners, though they must have proof of vaccination. Those who have not been vaccinated will be allowed to stand in the church courtyard.

The government announced these measures after meeting stiff resistance from the Church to its previous decision to close the churches altogether.

Churches in Georgia were also allowed to remain open throughout Lent, Holy Week and Pascha last year in Georgia, despite the quarantine that was in place at that time. A leading infectious disease expert in Tbilisi later announced that there had been no increase in cases due to religious holidays.

In Greece, the Holy Synod decided to celebrate Pascha earlier, at 9:00 PM, in order to accommodate the state’s curfew—a decision that has sparked controversy the Church and society.

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4/28/2021

See also
Greek clergy association protests early celebration of Pascha Greek clergy association protests early celebration of Pascha Greek clergy association protests early celebration of Pascha Greek clergy association protests early celebration of Pascha
Yesterday, the Holy Association of Clergy of Greece issued a press release, emphasizing that, “Once again, we, priests and believers, were surprised by the untrained intervention of the state in purely ecclesiastical matters, and even concerning the heart of Christian worship.” Georgian Synod: We won’t promote vaccination, it’s good that it’s voluntary Georgian Synod: We won’t promote vaccination, it’s good that it’s voluntary Georgian Synod: We won’t promote vaccination, it’s good that it’s voluntary Georgian Synod: We won’t promote vaccination, it’s good that it’s voluntary
The Synod also condemned the divisive work of the “Association of Religions Experts” that claimed the hierarchs wanted to overthrow Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. 53% of Georgians say faith helps protect from coronavirus 53% of Georgians say faith helps protect from coronavirus 53% of Georgians say faith helps protect from coronavirus 53% of Georgians say faith helps protect from coronavirus
According to the results of a survey conducted by the Caucasus Resource Research Centers for the National Democratic Institute in Georgia last month, 53% of Georgian residents believe that faith offers protection from the coronavirus.
Comments
Herman4/28/2021 6:02 pm
So you can't attend Church in Cyprus now without proof of vaccination. Or they make you stand in the courtyard... so the only people in Cyprus who can receive Holy Communion on Pascha are those who can present a proof of vaccination card? or QR code? How is this being done? How has it already come to this point so quickly? Only Satan himself would imagine to force Christians to be injected with an experimental, obviously dangerous drug (Pfizer), under false pretenses (gotta fight that virus so we can get back to "Normal") as a prerequisite for attendance at Pascha. Not even the Bolsheviks imagined such an evil. Well Glory to God that not all the bishops are going to enforce this belligerent and insane directive: https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/04/24/coronavirus-bishops-not-in-agreement-with-new-measures-to-proceed-as-they-see-fit/
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