This year the church will have to abide by the rules that are binding for everyone due to the pandemic, because of a higher goal – safeguarding the lives and health of all citizens, including believers, said President Stevo Pendarovski on Thursday.

I congratulate the Orthodox faithful on the great Christian holiday Resurrection of Christ-Easter, which is traditionally observed by church services and family gatherings. This year the church must abide by the rules that are binding for everyone. Because of the pandemic, many of our rights are either taken away or limited for a certain period of time, such as the right to free movement or the right to education. However, we all have a higher goal now – to safeguard the lives and health of our people, including believers, said President Pendarovski after a session of the Security Council.

According to him, no religious community is above others in the country, no believer is more important than an atheist and vice versa.

The Ramadan fast begins a week from now and it will also take place in a state of emergency, including the rules and restrictions imposed on all of us. We need to be clear on one thing – we can overcome this crisis only through mutual and maximum respect of each other, noted Pendarovski.

The President told reporters that the Government measures are binding for members of all religions.

The Government’s rules, regulations, decrees are binding for everyone in the country. They must be respected, period, added Pendarovski.

He referred to the Pope’s Easter mass without believers for the first time on record and the decision by authorities in Saudi Arabia to close Mecca and Medina mosques for pilgrims.

The President also said the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric and the Islamic Religious Community have expressed their support to the Government measures, urging their faithful to spend the two biggest holidays at home or by observing the recommendation of up to five people in the same area.