Boris Johnson urges Britons to be vaccinated, citing Scripture

Boris Johnson in his Christmas message urges Britons to get vaccinated. Photo: Guardian News YouTube video screenshot

In a video message, filmed in front of a Christmas tree in Downing Street, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged his compatriots to receive a booster vaccine against the coronavirus as a token of the love for neighbour that Jesus Christ teaches, repots “The Guardian”. “That, after all, is the teaching of Jesus Christ, whose birth is at the heart of this enormous festival – that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that it is too early to talk about the end of the pandemic, but many Britons could celebrate Christmas this year with more family members than last. "... this year you need a bigger turkey," Johnson joked.

On the eve of Christmas, there were fears the government might impose limits on socialising over the festive period in a bid to slow the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, but ministers decided to wait and monitor the data.
In 2020, some parts of the country, including London, the home counties and the east of England, were placed under tier 4 restrictions just days before Christmas that meant a “stay at home” order was in place. Elsewhere, up to three households could gather, but only for a single day. This year, some regions will continue to vaccinate against COVID-19 even on Christmas Day.

Boris Johnson was baptized as a Catholic but rarely discusses his faith. From the biography of the politician, it is known that while studying at Eton, he converted to Anglicanism. Therefore, his wedding this spring in the Catholic Cathedral of Westminster caused bewilderment among his compatriots.

As reported, the BBC analyzed why the Church of England is losing parishioners.

Read also

UOC Social Department in Kyiv supports 100 displaced families

In Kyiv, the UOC Social Department handed over humanitarian aid packages to 100 families of forcibly displaced persons.

Serbian authorities okay creation of university jointly with Serbian Church

The Serbian government has approved a memorandum on cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church for the establishment of the Saint Sava University.

DESS discusses mobilization of clergy with UCCRO

The head of DESS, Viktor Yelensky, informed representatives of religious organizations about new rules for reserving clergy from mobilization.

OCU holds synod in Lavra residence seized from Metropolitan Onufriy

The structure led by Epifaniy Dumenko used for its meeting premises where the Holy Synod of the UOC had previously convened.

Monastic tonsures performedI in Dnipro’s Tykhvin Convent

At the convent of the Dnipropetrovsk Eparchy of the UOC, three nuns received the great schema, while another novice was tonsured into the rassophore.

OCU holds religious event at grave of late UOC primate in Kyiv Lavra

Dumenko and his associates staged a prayer event at the grave of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr.