Catholic Bishop: Even the Third Reich did not prohibit public worship

RCC Bishop Athanasius Schneider. Photo: wikipedia

Catholic Bishop Athanasius Schneider believes that the measures taken to combat the coronavirus are a political dictatorship, and even the Third Reich did not close temples. The bishop wrote about this on the pages of the Oneterfive.com online edition.

According to the bishop, "the current atmosphere of almost planetary panic is continuously fueled by the universally proclaimed ‘dogma’ of the new coronavirus pandemic."

"The drastic and disproportionate security measures with the denial of the fundamental human rights – freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and freedom of opinion – appear almost globally orchestrated in the world along a precise plan," the bishop assures.

Therefore, Schneider believes that "the entire human race becomes a kind of prisoner of a world ‘sanitary dictatorship’, which for its part also reveals itself as a political dictatorship."

He emphasizes that “an important side effect of this new ‘sanitary dictatorship’ that is spreading around the world is the growing and uncompromising ban on all forms of public worship.”

The bishop recalls that "beginning on March 16, 2020, the German government prohibited all forms of public religious gatherings for all religions."

According to him, "such a radical measure of a strict ban on all forms of public worship was unimaginable even during the Third Reich."

In addition, Schneider pointed out that "before these measures were taken in Germany, a governmentally ordered prohibition of any public worship was implemented in Italy and Rome, the heart of Catholicism and of Christianity."

He is sure that for this reason "the current situation with the ban on public worship in Rome brings the Church to the time of an analogous prohibition issued by pagan Roman emperors in the first centuries."

“Clerics who dare celebrate the Holy Mass in the presence of the faithful in such circumstances could be punished or imprisoned. The worldwide 'sanitary dictatorship' has created a situation which breathes the air of the catacombs, of a persecuted Church, of an underground Church, especially in Rome,” the hierarch writes.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in many dioceses of the RCC around the world, religious processions with the Holy Communion began.

Read also

U.S. Couple Donates Relics of St. Arsenios to UOC Monastery

A sacred relic of St. Arsenios the Great was donated by a California couple to Ukraine’s Holy Dormition-Sviatogorsk Lavra, where it was solemnly received and venerated in a ceremony led by Met. Arseny.  

Constantinople Canonizes Two More Romanian Athonites

Ss. Nifon and Nectarie of the Romanian Prodromou Skete recognized among the saints of the Orthodox Church.

Met. Saba Welcomes Romanian Abbots to Antiochian Archdiocese Headquarters

Visit highlights long friendship ahead of feast day celebrations at St. Dumitru Monastery.

ROCOR Cleric Joins Patriarchal Liturgy for Consecration of New Abp. of Sinai

Pilgrims from the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Geneva, Switzerland, visit Cyprus and the Holy Land with Bsp. Irenei’s blessing.

‘Dr. Death’ Linked to UK Poison Suicides Defends Publishing Lethal Instructions Online

Assisted-suicide advocate Philip Nitschke accused of promoting poison tied to deaths of over 90 people, including teenagers.

Rival Mass Rallies Fill Budapest as Orbán and Magyar Face Off Ahead of 2026 Election

Hungary’s longtime leader and his challenger draw thousands in dueling shows of strength on national holiday.