Georgian Church adopts popular 10-person rule

Tbilisi, March 23 (Interfax) - Georgia's ban on public gatherings of over ten people during the state of emergency applies to the Church as well, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said.

"The restriction of gatherings of up to ten people concerns everyone and everything. Its primary purpose is healthcare for our citizens. The main goal and task of the Georgian government is to care about the health of our citizens regardless of religion," Gakharia said at a briefing, when asked if the emergency curbs applied to the Church.

A day earlier, the Georgian Orthodox Church said after a Holy Synod that there would be no changes in communion rules because of the Covid-19 threat.

The Synod unanimously disagreed with the opinion that one could get infected through shared use of the same spoon during the holy communion, Metropolitan Nikoloz (Pachuashvili) of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo told reporters.

"This is absolutely ruled out. There should not be any changes," he said.

He also said it was decided to allow the flock to listen to the service outside a church.