BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Mourners on Saturday were paying respects following the death of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej, many ignoring preventive measures against the new coronavirus even though the head of the church died after contracting the virus himself. The coffin holding the patriarch's body was first brought to the Belgrade Cathedral before it was taken through central Belgrade to the massive St. Sava Temple where he will be buried in the crypt on Sunday. Many believers and priests on Saturday did not wear face masks or keep distance inside the church, and some kissed the glass shield that was covering the patriarch’s body despite warnings from Serbia’s epidemiologists and a surge in virus infections. Also on Saturday, Serbia's government further tightened measures against the virus, allowing only food stores, pharmacies and gas stations to remain open beyond 6p.m. and imposing strict controls about the use of face masks and other preventive measures.

Source: Daily Sun November 21, 2020 13:41 UTC