ABSTRACT
The chapters provide a comprehensive exploration of how these differences in structure and theology manifested in churches responses, using specific case studies to illustrate this dynamic. IT highlights the significant shift in the church hierarchy, demonstrating an uncharacteristic openness to these grassroots initiatives born out of necessity. The chapter underscores the impact of historically rooted, religiously tinged conspiracy theories on the churches’ early responses to the pandemic, ranging from denial of the virus to opposition to perceived anti-Orthodox plots in the form of lockdown measures. It concludes with a profound exploration of how the church gained and lost parishioners, supported government policies, and saw fluctuating popularity in its leadership, especially the Patriarch, during the COVID-19 pandemic. By implementing a mixed-methods approach, the chapter uses a representative survey and an online survey. The pandemic echoed historical relationship between the church and the state, influencing crisis responses and occasionally resulting in conflicts, especially when directives from religious and political institutions seemed contradictory.
