Greek hierarch: On the pretext of COVID-19 they tried to change our faith

Metropolitan Cosmas of Aetolia and Aсarnania. Photo: vimaorthodoxias

His Eminence Metropolitan Cosmas of Aitoloaсarnania of the Hellenic Orthodox Church, believes that the coronavirus pandemic period was used to attempt to change the Orthodox faith, the Vima Orthodoxias website reports.

In his circular to the clergy of the diocese, Metropolitan Cosmas emphasized that no one should deny the importance of medicine for maintaining human health. However, the hierarch believes, "medical instructions should not fight against the faith of Christ, against the Church, against the Sacraments."

“It’s one thing when doctors speak with responsibility and insight (about human health – Ed.) and another thing when, taking advantage of medical science, they hold a microphone and voice insults and slander against the saints of our Church, the Holy Mysteries and sacred images of Orthodoxy,” the hierarch stressed.

According to him, “all those who hastily pour out the poison of unbelief, slander under the guise of struggle for our health – can they understand what is happening inside the Holy Church, the Orthodox Church, what is happening on the Holy See? Do they understand that God rests there physically and that Christ sacrifices Himself for our lives, our health, and our salvation? Can they realize that Christ is the Almighty God and will never harm anyone through the Holy Communion but only give the divine grace of life, sanctification and immortality?”

He reiterated that "today too much poison has been poured out to ward Christians off worshiping and receiving the Sacraments”, but "we believe that the Sacraments do not transmit any disease."

Metropolitan Cosmas believes that many examples “testify and confirm the attempts of some people to change our Orthodox mind, our warm faith, our conscious spiritual relationship with the ark of salvation, our Church.”

Nevertheless, the hierarch urges, “do not succumb to their influence, do not give up. Let us not lose pure faith in our Orthodox Church, in the Holy Mysteries, in the Communion Cup, holy relics, holy icons, priesthood.”

“God's love is tolerable but until when? A lot of sins have been committed in our homeland while we remain unrepentant. We have transformed the life of the Church, the sacred Sacraments, and Divine grace into crime. Let's repent!” the hierarch called.

He also appealed to Christians to pray for the repentance of those “who have anywise created the problems of our Church and the faith of godly Christians. Because one day they will appear before the Lord to give an answer,” Met. Cosmas concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Greek MP Rachel Makri believes that if quarantine is reintroduced, it is better to die of the flu than live as directed by the persecutors of Christ.

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