Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is not just the frontline workers who are exposed to the risks of handling Covid-19 cases and facing life-threatening situations. Christian priests who lead services have turned out to the latest vulnerable group. As many as nine priests in the state have succumbed to the second Covid wave over the past ten days. Six of them were from the Syro Malabar Church and three from the CSI church.
At least 15 Christian priests have died of the virus in other parts of the country since the second wave gained strength last month. Among the deceased is a senior bishop too. Archbishop Emeritus Antony Anandarayar, former archbishop of Puducherry-Cuddalore, died of Covid on Tuesday.
NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images
6 May 2021
Police in Kerala, India, took legal action on Thursday against 480 Church of South India (CSI) priests for their role in organizing a retreat that has resulted in over 100 confirmed Chinese coronavirus cases, local media revealed.
The CSI retreat began on April 13 and brought together hundreds of the region’s clergymen shortly before the eruption of what is now considered the world’s worst national coronavirus outbreak. India has been seeing as many as 400,000 confirmed coronavirus cases a day this week and has documented over 21 million coronavirus cases since China failed to contain the Chinese coronavirus in Wuhan in late 2019.