RPT - US Restrictions On Choir Singing, Communion Unjust To Believers - Priest

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th July, 2020) Decisions by local authorities in some US and Canadian territories to restrict the Holy Communion and choir singing during church services are unjust to believers and an infringement on their religious rights, the rector of the Russian St. Seraphim church in the US city of Sea Cliff, New York, protopriest Seraphim Gan, told Sputnik.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently prohibited liturgical singing in the house of worship, while municipal authorities of Canada's biggest city of Toronto banned believers from receiving the Sacraments. They announced these steps among broad measures in order to prevent a new spike of COVID-19.

Earlier this week, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad (ROCOR), Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America Kyrill, published an open letter, expressing protest against Gavin's decision.

"Yet, liturgical singing performed during the Divine Services and while observing all of the rules, is forbidden. This is open discrimination, hypocrisy and the infringement of our religious rights, prompting us to recall the era of godless persecutions in the USSR," Kyrill said.

Local authorities of California and Toronto took absolutely unjust decisions toward believers, who try to survive in difficult conditions of the pandemic, father Seraphim Gan noted.

These measures represent a crack-down on religious rights and freedoms and intervention in the internal Church life, he said.

The priest, who also serves as ROCOR Synod of Bishops Chancellor, agreed that secular authorities do not understand religious life and are trying to care for people as they can.

However, he said, they allow mass gatherings, protests and fully packed airplanes. Meanwhile, they bar the flock from singing and communion in churches where people hold all precautions.

"Our world, flooded with pandemic and other crises, needs prayer," father Seraphim said. "If believers observe common sense and other measures, including mask-wearing and social distancing, why impose more and more unfeasible restrictions?"

All ROCOR churches observe COVID-19 related restrictions and even ask people from groups of high risk to avoid participating in services, he added.