In Greece, a court acquits priest for serving Liturgy during COVID lockdown

Presbyter Anastasios with clergy and believers who came to support him in the courtroom. Photo: eeod.gr

On January 13, 2025, the criminal court of the city of Patras unanimously acquitted Archpriest Anastasios Gotsopoulos for conducting the Divine Liturgy on March 25, 2020, during the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Church of St. Nicholas in Patras, according to the Greek UOJ website.

The prosecution agreed with the defense lawyers' arguments, who stated that the Ministry of Health's decree prohibiting religious services for 20 days due to the pandemic was unconstitutional.

The judges fully supported the prosecutor’s position, also citing the conflict of duties faced by the priest. After the acquittal was announced, the courtroom erupted in loud applause.

It is worth recalling that on October 10, 2022, the Single-Judge Criminal Court of Patras sentenced Fr. Anastasios to an eight-month suspended term for violating the Ministry of Health's decree banning all religious services. The priest appealed this decision.

The court hearing was attended by many faithful, clergy, monks, and laypeople who expressed their support for the priest.

In his defense, Presbyter Anastasios declared that as an Orthodox Christian, a priest, and a Greek citizen, he could not accept a complete ban on conducting the Divine Liturgy.

He emphasized: "It is impossible, under any circumstances and for any reason, to accept a ban on conducting the Divine Liturgy, even for one day. Canceling the Liturgy, even temporarily, means abolishing the Church itself. Such laws existed in Europe until 311, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, and in Albania under Enver Hoxha (1967–1990). Even Mehmed the Conqueror, Lenin, and Stalin did not dare to impose such a blasphemous ban on the Liturgy, which was allowed by the Greek Republic."

He concluded his speech with the following words: "If this was a crime, I am ready to take responsibility. If your conscience and sense of justice find me guilty, convict me. I accept this honor – the honor of being condemned for fulfilling my duty as an Orthodox priest."

A witness for the defense, Fr. Evangelos Papanikolaou, who is both a priest and a doctor, also testified. He noted that a priest who does not serve the Liturgy on the Feast of the Annunciation cannot be considered a priest.

He added that even in Cameroon, where he carries out pastoral work, the Liturgy was never canceled, despite numerous epidemics.

As previously reported, a Greek priest was sentenced to prison for serving the Liturgy during quarantine.

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