When you call for advice about a possible pandemic, generally accepted best practice is to appeal to the medical staff and to the official statements of the government.
However, in times of heavy unrest, many are also turning to the Church, and now one group of citizens with strong religious beliefs — the Cossacks — have released their own instructions.
According to the Deputy of the Council Gennady Kovalev, the Council of the Cossack atamans of Russia has banned kissing icons, crosses and hands of the priests to prevent coronavirus infection.
The order was officially sent to our organization. It is forbidden to kiss the icons and everything about the touch of a mass cult, ” said Kovalev. “I think we’re fighting a virus that is spread by airborne droplets through touch. Our task is to warn that it is dangerous and contributes to the spread of infection.” However, Kovalev explained that the procedure is not mandatory.
The Board resolution stated that “disease, viruses — anything that leads to destruction is the work of Satan”, and that the Cossacks as “Christian soldiers” are on the “front lines in the fight against manifestations of the forces of Darkness.”
According to Kovalev, the order will be valid until, until the threat of proliferation Covid-19. He also noted that they asked the Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian organization for the protection of consumer rights, check out the Church and the clergy, in the presence of the virus. “God forbid, someone gets sick, then people will completely stop going to Church,” said Kovalev.
