Police Officers Turn up at Holy Trinity Cathedral

Police officers have turned up at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, where a Sunday service is being held.

However, the law enforcers did not specify the reason why they appeared in the temple. 

Clerics have called on parishioners to remain 1-meter from each other amid coronavirus concerns, as the temple has been crowded since morning. 

The parishioners can hear the liturgy through the sound system provided outside the temple.

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, is at the church. After the service, the Patriarch is expected to address parishioners. 

Yesterday, when the State of Emergency was declared in Georgia to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that restrictions would be imposed on gatherings of more than10 people in closed areas, including churches. However, later Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze and Infrastructure Minister Maya Tskitishvili failed to confirm this information. 

Moreover, the decree issued by President Salome Zurabishvili does not contain such information. 

There is uncertainty in the community regarding this issue. However, state officials note that they are "holding consultations with church representatives around this topic."

By Ana Dumbadze