The Easter service and the blessing of food this year will take place in the traditional way, priest Vadim Cheibaș, secretary general of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church, has told IPN. Last year the Christians’ access to churches was restricted and the faithful were urged to pray at home as they could follow the service on TV and radio stations. This year such restrictions will not be imposed and each church will decide how to hold the Easter Night Procession.
“As the April 22 decision (of the Commission for Exceptional Situations, e.n.) was abrogated and the decision of March 26, No. 53 (of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission) remained in force, we will hold services inside and outside churches, depending on the request of the heads of religious communities, by keeping a social distance of two meters inside churches and by observing the anti-epidemic measures,” stated Vadim Cheibaș.
He called on the people to come to church with joy in the souls, with the open hearts so as to meet the revived Jesus Christ, but to strictly obey the protection measures. A limited number of persons will be allowed to enter churches so as to secure an area of at least 4 square meters for each person among those who will attend the service (except for church employees).
The flow of persons in churches will be managed so as to avoid crowdedness. When entering the building, each person will mandatorily have the body temperature taken and will be requested to use the hand sanitizer dispensers set up in visible and accessible places. Inside, the parishioners will be obliged to wear masks and are recommended not to kiss the icons. The objects and contact surfaces in churches should be disinfected once in three-four hours.
The persons from risk groups, the older persons and those with chronic diseases are urged to avoid crowded places and pray at home and to avoid taking part in pilgrimages.
