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The Church of Cyprus has issued an unusual directive ahead of Holy Saturday, reminding priests that they are not auditioning for a dance competition during the "Anasta O Theos" hymn.
Following an emergency meeting on March 24, chaired by Archbishop Georgios, the Holy Synod urged clergy to tone down the enthusiasm when scattering bay leaves inside the church—no running, no jumping, and definitely no theatrics. The same rules apply to altar boys, who have apparently also been getting a little too carried away.
Priests are not to break into interpretive dance on Holy Saturday, but if anyone has a direct line to the Almighty’s weather department, now would be a great time to put in a request for some rain
Keep It Holy, Not Hectic
For those unfamiliar, the bay leaf ritual symbolizes Christ’s victory over death, with priests traditionally tossing them around the church. However, in some parishes, things have gotten a bit… over-the-top.
"The priests must scatter the bay leaves with reverence and dignity—not like they're throwing confetti at a rock concert," the Synod’s statement read. "The same applies to altar boys."
That said, the Church is not cracking down on the faithful, reassuring worshippers that traditions like gently tapping pews or removing the black veils from icons are still welcome. Just maybe don’t bring a drum kit.
Heavenly Intervention Needed: Prayers for Rain
In the same announcement, the Synod turned its attention to another pressing issue—rain (or rather, the lack of it). With Cyprus facing serious drought conditions, the Church has called for special prayers for rain to be held in all churches on the fifth Sunday of Lent.
So, to sum up: Priests are not to break into interpretive dance on Holy Saturday, but if anyone has a direct line to the Almighty’s weather department, now would be a great time to put in a request for some rain.
