ROCOR Primate: Church does not give advice on vaccination

Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York. Photo: religions.unian.net

Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York. Photo: religions.unian.net

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia does not give its parishioners any advice on vaccination against coronavirus. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of Eastern America and New York, said this in a comment to RIA Novosti.

He stressed that vaccination is “a free choice of people,” and the Church does not give advice on this matter. However, he believes that "people should not be afraid of vaccination."

According to the metropolitan, the pandemic affected church life, but these changes cannot be called fundamental.

“At the very beginning of the pandemic, people could not visit churches, but now they have such an opportunity,” added the First Hierarch of ROCOR.

Recall that due to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, it was proposed to postpone the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the ROCOR.

The UOJ also wrote that the position of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on vaccination against coronavirus was explained by the UOC Chancellor Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich).

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