Posted on 03/26/2020 6:41:02 PM PDT by marshmallow
Minsk, March 26, Interfax - The Belarusian Orthodox Church does not intend to prohibit religious processions and other festivities due to the spread of coronavirus, head of the Information Department of the Belarusian Orthodox Church (the Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate) Archpriest Sergey Lepin told Interfax.
"The church is taking safety measures to prevent the coronavirus epidemic, including by disinfecting icons, crosses, etc. These measures will also apply to upcoming Easter celebrations and other holidays. We are not planning to take any additional measures," the priest said.
Religious processions will not be banned.
"Religious processions are performed outdoors. We won't ban walking outside, will we?" he said.
According to earlier reports, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko believes that the peak of coronavirus in the country will have passed by Orthodox Easter on April 19.
"If we endure until Orthodox Easter, that means we'll live," Lukashenko said at a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Cui Qiming in Minsk on Tuesday.
Belarus has 86 Covid-19 cases as of March 26.
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