PM urges Church to respect lockdown rules on Epiphany

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged the country's influential Orthodox Church on Tuesday to respect coronavirus restrictions during Epiphany celebrations on Jan. 6 after Synod leaders said they would defy the lockdown.

Church authorities wrote to the government on Monday to say there was no justification for withdrawing the permission previously given to hold services on Epiphany, one of the most important dates in the Orthodox Church calendar.

"The prime minister called on the Church to assume its responsibilities and assist in the big effort to limit the consequences of the pandemic," Mitsotakis's office said in a statement.

It remains unclear how many churches will hold services on Wednesday or what measures the authorities might take to stop them, given the important position the Orthodox Church holds in Greek public life.

Mitsotakis...