Serbian, Romanian Priests Ask for Waiver to Hold Easter Masses

Although the Orthodox church hierarchies in Serbia and Romania have accepted a ban on worshippers gathering for religious services, some of their most prominent figures have been asking governments to make an exception and allow believers to take part in Easter ceremonies.

In Romania, the call to permit masses was made by Father Calistrat Chifan, a prominent Orthodox monk with a following of over 660,000 people on Facebook.

Speaking in an interview posted on his Facebook page, Father Calistrat asked the authorities to allow believers to attend the traditional candle-lighting ceremony that every Easter Sunday at midnight in the Orthodox tradition celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"The interior minister of this country is himself a Christian in a Christian country and he has at some point needed the votes of the public," the monk said, referring to the minister in charge of the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the pandemic in Romania.

The measures taken by the government include a ban on religious services among other public events that involve large gatherings.

Father Calistrat demanded that Orthodox priests across the country be allowed "just one hour" for believers to follow the Easter resurrection mass from outside their church and subsequently light their candles while respecting social distancing and wearing masks.

He said older believers and those in frail health should be asked to stay at home and that such ceremonies would only invite younger people who are in good health.

Father Calistrat, from the Vladiceni Monastery in Iasi county in north-eastern Romania, is one of the most respected and influential 'duhovnici' - priests invested with the authority to hear confessions.

Meanwhile,...