Catholic Bishop: Even the Third Reich did not prohibit public worship

RCC Bishop Athanasius Schneider. Photo: wikipedia

Catholic Bishop Athanasius Schneider believes that the measures taken to combat the coronavirus are a political dictatorship, and even the Third Reich did not close temples. The bishop wrote about this on the pages of the Oneterfive.com online edition.

According to the bishop, "the current atmosphere of almost planetary panic is continuously fueled by the universally proclaimed ‘dogma’ of the new coronavirus pandemic."

"The drastic and disproportionate security measures with the denial of the fundamental human rights – freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and freedom of opinion – appear almost globally orchestrated in the world along a precise plan," the bishop assures.

Therefore, Schneider believes that "the entire human race becomes a kind of prisoner of a world ‘sanitary dictatorship’, which for its part also reveals itself as a political dictatorship."

He emphasizes that “an important side effect of this new ‘sanitary dictatorship’ that is spreading around the world is the growing and uncompromising ban on all forms of public worship.”

The bishop recalls that "beginning on March 16, 2020, the German government prohibited all forms of public religious gatherings for all religions."

According to him, "such a radical measure of a strict ban on all forms of public worship was unimaginable even during the Third Reich."

In addition, Schneider pointed out that "before these measures were taken in Germany, a governmentally ordered prohibition of any public worship was implemented in Italy and Rome, the heart of Catholicism and of Christianity."

He is sure that for this reason "the current situation with the ban on public worship in Rome brings the Church to the time of an analogous prohibition issued by pagan Roman emperors in the first centuries."

“Clerics who dare celebrate the Holy Mass in the presence of the faithful in such circumstances could be punished or imprisoned. The worldwide 'sanitary dictatorship' has created a situation which breathes the air of the catacombs, of a persecuted Church, of an underground Church, especially in Rome,” the hierarch writes.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in many dioceses of the RCC around the world, religious processions with the Holy Communion began.

Read also

German McDonald's removes food from adverts until sunset over Ramadan

In Germany, during the Muslim fast, a fast-food chain hides food images in advertising during the day and shows them only in the evening.

Metropolitan Longin after hearings: Sessions conducted under the rule of law

After the Hertsa Сourt session, the bishop thanked the faithful for their support and called for forgiveness, prayer, and faithfulness to Christ.

Christian series "The Chosen" sets world record for being most widely-translated

The streaming series The Chosen , which explores the life of Jesus and his disciples, has broken its own Guinness World Record for being the most widely-translated series of all time.

US Secretary of Defense to the Army: God extends His arms over you

Pete Hegseth stated that American military personnel are "no longer defenders" but warriors "trained to destroy the enemy."

MP demands answers from Rivne authorities over UOC charity event

Bobrovska expressed outrage that city officials allowed the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC to hold a charity festival that raised money for children with cancer.

In U.S., Archbishop of Albania leads Divine Liturgy on Triumph of Orthodoxy

The Primate of the Albanian Church served in Massachusetts and called for visible unity among Orthodox jurisdictions.