The influential Church of Greece on Thursday reiterated that its cathedrals and chapels around predominately Christian Orthodox Greece will hold services during the forthcoming Easter Week, but only with the presence of clerics and cantors, and without the presence of worshipers – in line with strict state restrictions against non-essential movement and assemblies due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In reply to a multitude of press reports and widespread social media speculation that cathedrals will open their doors to the faithful for a few hours every day during Orthodox Easter Week, a spokesman for the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece said the “opening” of church doors between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Good Friday affects only clerics, deacons and other affiliated personnel, not worshipers.
Palm Sunday on the Orthodox liturgical calendar is April 12, with Easter Sunday on April 19.
Easter Week in Greece is the peak time for church attendance and coincides with an annual mass exodus of urban-dwellers to the country’s provinces and islands. Schools are closed for two weeks and many businesses cut back hours and production.
However, Covid-19 restrictions in place have closed all places of worship and prohibited non-essential movement and travel for residents in the country.
