The Ministry of Justice and the Church of Cyprus have reached an agreement regulating the tradition of Easter bonfires.
According to the agreement, bonfires can only be lit in church courtyards and at strictly defined times established by church committees.
This agreement paved the way for further consideration of the bill at a plenary meeting of the parliamentary legal committee, where the document will be presented on Wednesday 22 October.
The bill regulating the practice of Easter bonfires previously faced serious objections from the Union of Municipalities and the Union of Communities, as well as from the Church of Cyprus.
The Secretary of the Holy Synod, Father George, during a meeting of the legal committee, sharply condemned the tradition of lighting fires, calling it a manifestation of “religious primitivism and barbarism,” emphasizing that the Church will not allow such actions on its territory.
“This custom has long gone beyond the scope of church tradition and can no longer be considered as valuable folklore. Today, it recalls the era of primitive religious beliefs and distorts the sacred meaning of the Resurrection of Christ with explosions of firecrackers and fireworks,” noted Father George.
Following these statements, the bill was temporarily frozen. Minister of Justice Marios Hartsiotis held direct negotiations with the Archbishop, as a result of which a compromise formula was developed: if the applicant for permission is a church committee, it is he who determines the time of the ceremony.
According to the updated bill, fires can be lit only after inspection by the fire service and subject to all safety measures. Local authorities will oversee compliance with permit conditions, and the police will monitor compliance in practice.
Thus, the Cypriot authorities strive to preserve the tradition of Easter bonfires, while ensuring safety and respect for the religious meaning of the holiday.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
