Metropolitan Anthony for Western and Central Europe of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church called on the Bulgarian believers from his eparchy abroad to abide by the measures adopted by the local authorities against COVID-19 . The Metropolitans of Varna, Plovdiv and Stara Zagora already made such appeals to clergy and laity. Metropolitan Anthony recommends that clergy be extremely strict to hygiene regulations in temples which are open for public worship. He also called on the believers to keep distance in the churches and refrain from kissing the holy icons and bow before them only.