Gov’t to go after priests flouting quarantine
The government has asked for a prosecutor to press charges against two priests who provided communion to the faithful Sunday despite a ban on church attendance.
One of the priests, in the Athens neighborhood of Koukaki, was photographed from a nearby building secretly giving communion to people through the back door.
The other incident happened in St. Spyridon Church in the city of Corfu.
"What happened today in churches in Koukaki and Corfu is a violation of the law and of the Holy Synod's orders and put the lives of citizens and public health in great danger. I contacted the Minister of Justice so that he can ask the prosecuting authorities to intervene," said Nikos Hardalias, Deputy Minister of Civil Protection.
Authorities' main concern remains attempts to flout strict quarantine measures during the week up to Orthodox Easter, which is celebrated next Sunday, by attending church and engage in the customary exodus from the cities to the countryside. From 6 am to 3 pm Sunday, 38 people were stopped trying to leave cities and fined 300 euros each.
[Kathimerini/ANA-MPA]
