Three Polish bishops test positive for Covid after unmasked, non-distanced group photo

Four Catholic bishops in Poland have tested positive for coronavirus. Three of them participated last week in a plenary meeting of the episcopate at which around 100 bishops posed for a group photo without masks or distancing amid record numbers of coronavirus infections in Poland.

One of those infected is Artur Miziński, the secretary general of the Polish Bishops’ Conference. Last week, after attending the plenary meeting, he met with a deputy prime minister, Piotr Gliński, who is now in quarantine as a result.

Yesterday, it was also announced that two other bishops – Andrzej Czaja and Rudolf Pierskała – had tested positive. That followed news on Saturday that the Archbishop of Katowice, Wiktor Skworc, was infected. He and Czaja had both attended last week’s plenary in Łódź.

On the first day of the gathering – which took place on 5 and 6 October – the participants posed for a group photograph, sitting and standing side by side without wearing masks. The episcopate itself then posted the image on social media.

The photograph immediately drew criticism not only for setting a bad example at a time of record high coronavirus infections in Poland, but also for violating government guidelines, which at the time required masks to be worn outside when distancing of 1.5 metres is not possible.

In response, the episcopate issued a statement explaining that the bishops only “took off their masks for a moment at the request of the photographer”. At all other times during the meeting, “every effort was made to ensure all possible safety measures were maintained”.

“The photo was taken in a maximum of five minutes [and] this cannot be counted as contact,” said a spokesman for the Archbishop of Kraków. At other times the bishops “kept a distance of at least two metres”, he added.

However, other images published online by the episcopate show many of the bishops not wearing masks while in close proximity to one another during meetings and Holy Mass.

The four infected bishops have gone into quarantine following their positive tests. However, the episcopate’s spokesman says that no other attendees of last week’s plenary meeting have been asked by the sanitary authorities to enter isolation.

The Diocese of Opole, where Czajka and Pierskała are bishops, has closed until at least the end of this week, reports the episcopate’s news service, eKai. “We join spiritually with all the sick and ask for prayer,” said the bishops in a statement. They are in “good health”, added a spokesman.

The Catholic church in Poland has faced some criticism for its response to the coronavirus pandemic. During the spring lockdown, it sought to keep churches open for services. The head of the episcopate, Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, argued that “churches are like hospitals for the soul”.

Another archbishop, Andrzej Dzięga, reassured churchgoers in March that they could continue practising their faith as normal because “Christ does not spread viruses” and “Satan is powerless in the face of holy water”.

Poland is currently experiencing its record levels of coronavirus infections. Today the health ministry reported the highest ever daily figures for both new cases (6,526) and deaths (116).

In response, the government has classified the whole country as a coronavirus “yellow zone”, meaning that masks must be worn in outdoor public spaces as well as indoor ones. Further restrictions are expected to be announced tomorrow.

The cabinet itself has also been struck by the virus. A deputy minister, Janusz Kowalski, tested positive earlier this week. The appointment of a new education minister was delayed after he was infected.

The prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, is also in quarantine following contact with an infected person, but has himself tested negative. Gliński, the deputy prime minister, also confirmed today that he was in quarantine following contact with Bishop Miziński.

“I remind you of the need to follow sanitary rules: distance, disinfection, mask!” tweeted Gliński, who also serves as culture minister. “Let’s protect ourselves and others!”

Main image credit: EpiskopatNews/Twitter

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.