Holy Synod says yoga no good

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece rebuffed a call for dialogue between Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, while also denouncing yoga and warning cleric to stay away from the Lions.

According to Kathimerini Greece, the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece rebuffed a call issued this week by the Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew for a dialogue between Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“The Sacrament of the Eucharist remains non-negotiable, as we have been taught by the teaching of the Orthodox Tradition and the Holy Fathers of our Holy Church,” the Holy Synod said in a statement.

Bartholomew’s call came as health authorities have warned that the partaking in Holy Communion could lead to the spread of the virus.

Additional media reports said the Holy Synod also targeted the Rotary Club and the Lions, urging its cleric to refrain from attending their meetings or events.

The Church also denounced yoga for Christian believers, after the practice was widely recommended by various bodies and groups as a way to relieve stress during the pandemic.

“Yoga is completely incompatible with our Orthodox Christian Faith and has no place in the lives of Christians,” it declared.

Yoga group gatherings have been seen also in Cyprus in many public parks as soon as movement restrictions were lifted, as gyms had remained closed during partial pandemic lockdowns on the island.