Religious leaders of Zaporizhzhia called for easing quarantine at services

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol. Photo: hramzp.ua

On May 11, 2020, the Council of Religious Organizations under the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration called on the authorities to mitigate quarantine requirements in connection with the coronavirus and allow worship in the open air without limiting the number of believers, reports Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol on his Telegram channel.

The hierarch published the text of the appeal of the Council of Religious Organizations under the head of the Zaporizhzhia RSA to the Chairman of the Zaporizhzhia RSA Turinok V.V. regarding the organization of worship in the open air while ensuring compliance with sanitary and anti-epidemic measures.

The appeal says that the Council of Religious Organizations under the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration "respects the decisions that ensure the livelihoods of our people and the state" in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of May 4, 2020, under No. 343, the Government decided to ease quarantine requirements. <...> Given this, and the proposals of the Prime Minister on quarantine according to the adaptive model, we, representatives of religious organizations of Zaporizhzhia region, also urge you to allow Worship in the open air without limiting the number of believers, observing the indicated anti-epidemic standards, namely: keeping the distance, the presence of masks and antiseptic agents,” the document says.

Religious leaders ask the authorities to "ensure the right of believers ‘to perform alone or collectively and without constraint religious rites and ceremonial rituals, and to conduct religious activity’ (Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine) and allow the celebration of services in the territories of religious communities, subject to sanitary standards."

As reported earlier, the Primate of the UOC has blessed all eparchies to participate in the fight against the pandemic.

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