The answer
A guiding principle for us as Christians is that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Read and meditate on St. Peter's message in 1 Peter 2:13-25 and St. Paul's instructions in Romans 13:1-5, as they both guide us in respecting authorities and those who govern us. As public authorities are respecting the orders of the medical community, we must also be lawful citizens. Joshua the Son of Sirach, Chapter 38, also explains to us how to heed to the advice of physicians: "Honor the physician because of necessity, and because the Most High created him... The Most High has created medicines from the earth, and a prudent man will not abhor them...." We must not allow division and heartache to attack our congregations and accomplish what this virus fails to do. Each of our churches in the Diocese of the Southern United States are instructed to follow the guidelines of the Center of Disease Control and their specific state and county guidelines, so long as it does not interfere with any of our Holy Mysteries. Praying with or without a mask does not interfere with the priesthood or with Communion. If a priest cannot see well, should he not wear glasses? Should he not wear hearing aids if he has a hearing impairment? The mask does not hinder his ability to pray, but is a tool (like glasses or hearing aids) to protect him and others from this dangerous pestilence that could cause infection by airborne transmission. The mask also does not impede on how the Eucharist is dispensed and this Holy Mystery can be administered according to the same manner as our Church Fathers taught us.Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)