Police arrested a priest on the island of Kalymnos on Saturday, after he called on the faithful not to wear a face mask in the church.
His comments were made via his Facebook account: “No one should wear a mask on the Feast of Panagia!!! We should not hurt our Lady the Theotokos. Our mother wants to see our faces. Wants to see our faith!!!! She wants to kiss us. She wants to bless us. We love you, Panagia, and I am sure that we, your children, will give you this joy!!! No one will wear a mask.”
It is recalled masks are compulsory inside the church, as is social distancing. There is also a limit on how many are allowed to attend liturgies in churches or monasteries.
According to sources, the priest, who has not been named, was taken into custody accused of spreading fake news that endanger public health, following a complaint from a citizen who saw the post.
The priest appeared before a prosecutor on the island of Kos and was released pending trial set for October 8, 2020.
