×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Monday
19
Jan 2026
weather symbol
Athens 6°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Politics

Is the Church worse than a hairdresser’s, Metropolitan Hierotheos protests over decision to keep churches sealed

The government decided to only allow personal worship

Newsroom April 28 12:06

The spokesman of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos expressed his strong reaction to the government’s decision to open the churches in the first phase only for individual prayer and at a later stage give the “green light” to perform Divine Liturgies with presence of believers.

“I look forward to a return not only to normality but also to ecclesiastic normalcy,” Metropolitan Hierotheos said, adding that “if the problem is overcrowding, we will take all measures necessary, we will do what they have instructed us to do.” Now I don’t know if they have any other reasons.”

also read 

>Related articles

Vienna airport closed due to frost, “very limited operation” at Prague airport

Scientists’ alert on avian flu – Could cause a pandemic worse than COVID-19

Kontoaggelos to Proto Thema: “COVID-19 triggered depression, but not psychiatric drug use” – Supporting cancer patients and answering the hard questions

Greek Church leaders’ “ultimatum” demanding reopening of Churches

He voiced his disappointed by what he heard from government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Monday afternoon, wondering “what is the Church for them, after all. What is the Church, is it a club, is it a supermarket? Is it worse than the supermarket or worse than the a hairdresser’s? What is the Church, is not a divine organisation that has a 20-century tradition?”

In fact, Mr. Hierotheos went one step further by wondering “what is this power and what are the limits of power”.

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#churches#closed#coronavirus#COVID-19#Greek Orthodox Church#Metropolitan Hierotheos#restrictive measures
> More Politics

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Pierrakakis after the Eurogroup: ‘Dialogue between the US and EU is key, tariffs would undermine Transatlantic relations’

January 19, 2026

Davos: Von der Leyen calls for unquestionable respect for the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark

January 19, 2026

Opinion Poll: New Democracy Rises to 30.2%, Leading by 16.8 Points — Karystianou draws from Hellenic Solution, Niki, SYRIZA, and Plevsi

January 19, 2026

Princess Irene was buried at Tatoi in a private family ceremony – Queen Sofia was devastated

January 19, 2026

The Italian fashion designer Valentino has died at the age of 93

January 19, 2026

Minor dispute at Maximos Mansion between the President of Kastoria Livestock Association and the Rector of the University of Thessaly regarding goat and sheep pox

January 19, 2026

Stocks climb to 16-year high as markets withstand global liquidations

January 19, 2026

Tatoi Estate: The rescue and restoration of 100,000 historic objects

January 19, 2026
All News

> World

Davos: Von der Leyen calls for unquestionable respect for the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark

The European Commission president stressed the importance of sovereignty in talks with a US Congressional delegation at the World Economic Forum

January 19, 2026

Britain: New defection of a Conservative MP who defected to Farage’s party

January 19, 2026

A school bus crash in South Africa: At least 13 children dead

January 19, 2026

Trump invited Putin to join the “Peace Council”: we are considering it, Moscow says

January 19, 2026

Train Collision in Spain: 39 dead, “extremely strange accident,” says Transport Minister

January 19, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα