Bishop Petar likened the unvaccinated citizens to potential suiciders and warned them they will not enter Heaven. In a Alfa TV interview, the bishop of Prespa and Pelagonija added that the coronavirus is dangerous and should be taken seriously.

All of us in the Holy Synod are vaccinated. Also, most of the priests are vaccinated. Vaccinated people can also develop a serious form of the illness, but it is rare that a twice vaccinated patient dies of the coronavirus. We should approach this illness seriously. Don’t get this wrong, but if I don’t get vaccinated, and death occurs, then I’m a potential, maybe even an actual suicider. And you know well that those who commit suicide are not allowed in the Kingdom of Heaven, Bishop Petar said.