The parishioners of the Greek orthodox church of St Antonious, in Sunshine, Melbourne are angry that this year’s Good Friday process of the Epitaphios had to have its route shortened because the municipality of Brimbank wanted $4,000 to pay for closing roads and protecting public safety.
Church officials were able to come up with only $900 for the requirement and were allowed to proceed but with a route that was sharply reduced, limiting where the parishioners could go.
The priest of St. Antionious’ church, Ioannis Demertzidis, spoke of “unnprecedented decision restricting religious freedom.”
A representative of the municipality of Brimbank stated that roads had to be closed for the procession of the Epitaph, as the police had made known that the procession couldn’t be guarded if the roads weren’t closed for security reasons. “For that reason the church was asked to pay the money in order to issue the relevant permission,” the representative said..
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