The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia recently announced that all Greek Orthodox churches in Victoria will be closed to the faithful from today, July 8.
The closures are in response to COVID-19 restrictions placed by the Victorian government, which dictate that all places of public worship are to be closed.
“It is with great sadness and pastoral anguish that I am watching the unfortunate developments in Melbourne, and the wider Victoria region,” His Eminence Archbishop Makarios says.
“It is clear that the cessation of public worship means that our Churches will be closed to the faithful. However, all the Sequences, memories of the Saints, and Divine Liturgies will be performed only by the priest and the singer, while the sacraments and funerals will be performed according to the instructions of the State.
“I urge you to comply with these guidelines by properly listening to our priests and the Board of Directors of your Archdiocese, and at the same time I urge you to intensify your prayers to God, the Giver of Intervention, whose intervention awaits all humanity.”
His Eminence has sent a message to the Archbishop of Melbourne, Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis, and to Reverend Archimandrite Fr Evmenios Vasilopoulos.
