Russian Orthodox Church, Muslim spiritual board, and Chabad urge believers to get vaccinated
Vaccination with God's help
The head of the Bashkortostan Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church Nikon ordered to temporarily suspend classes in all Sunday schools of the republic to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nikon urged the clergy and parishioners to get vaccinated and "remain calm." Temples will not be closed, but abbots are advised to take "exhaustive" sanitary measures. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims approached the issue even more seriously: the imams were instructed to agitate Muslims to get vaccinated during Friday sermons. In the Ufa synagogue, as Kommersant found out, they refuse to let believers in without a QR code about the past vaccination.
Metropolitan Nikon "for the sake of pastoral care" closed Sunday schools for the period of the fight against coronavirus
Photo: Dmitry Kolpakov, Kommersant
Metropolitan Nikon "for the sake of pastoral care" closed Sunday schools for the period of the fight against coronavirus
Photo: Dmitry Kolpakov, Kommersant
Metropolitan Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak ordered "for the sake of pastoral care for the health of parishioners and clergy" to suspend classes in all Sunday schools, youth, children's and sports organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church in the republic for an indefinite period. The document was published on the website of the Ufa diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Rectors of temples and monasteries have been instructed to take "exhaustive" anti-COVID measures. The clergy are offered to navigate according to the instructions adopted by the Russian Orthodox Church last spring. Rectors, in particular, should refuse to give a hand for a kiss and make sure that the parishioners do not kiss the crucifix after prayer - instead, it is proposed to place the cross on the heads of those who pray. Furniture and icons in the temple are prescribed to be regularly wiped and disinfected.
In the Ufa diocese, headed by Nikon, 62 children's Sunday schools were closed. In the Salavat and Birsk dioceses, which obeyed the order, classes were suspended in 30 and 20 Sunday schools, respectively.
The Metropolitan also urged the clergy and parishioners to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He recommended that Orthodox believers "remain calm, accept this trial as the will of God, not weaken in their prayers and turn to the heavenly intercession of the Mother of God, as well as to the saints who shone in all parts of our Republic."
The Bashkortostan Metropolis limited itself to the call of the Metropolitan. There will be no conversations with parishioners about vaccination in churches. “This is not the competence of the church,” they said in the Salavat diocese. “A priest is not a medical worker. Each person should make their own decision about vaccination in consultation with their doctor. If a priest tells a parishioner to get vaccinated, and he has some kind of allergy, and he will suffer? - Archpriest Sergiy Ryzhakov, manager of the affairs of the Birsk diocese, spoke out.
In the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Bashkiria, on the contrary, imams are recommended to “educate the parishioners” about vaccination and convince “elderly people and elders” to observe the regime of self-isolation. During Friday sermons, imams are supposed to encourage believers to get vaccinated and tell them that the Sputnik V vaccine has been tested for compliance with halal standards. The corresponding fatwa was adopted in March by the Ulema Council of the DUM RF. Mufti of Bashkiria Ainur hazrat Birgallin was vaccinated against COVID-19, the spiritual administration noted.
The DUM does not plan to temporarily close more than 800 of its mosques, but a “strict mask regime” was introduced there a month ago. Imams have been instructed to ensure that those who read prayers maintain social distance.
In the Ufa synagogue, they refused to let the unvaccinated go to prayer, Kommersant was told in the community of Orthodox Jews Or Avner Chabad Lubavitch. At the entrance, believers must show the QR code from the COVID-19 vaccination certificate and wear masks during the service. Community members over 60 are advised to stay at home. The synagogue is actively campaigning for vaccinations and has organized a mobile vaccination station several times, representatives of the rabbinate noted.
Recently, about 600 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Bashkiria every day. In total, since the beginning of the pandemic, the virus has been confirmed in 86.8 thousand residents of the republic. Since October 29, various anti-COVID restrictions have been in place in Bashkiria for shopping centers, catering establishments, nightclubs, and so on.