Coronavirus update

Mt. Athos to hold vigils and processions against coronavirus

Holy Mount Athos is closed to pilgrims until the end of March, but its monasteries continue prayer and religious services even more fervently. The governing Holy Community of Mount Athos has urged all churches and sketes on its territory to hold cross processions and officiate All-Night Vigils to the Mother of God, who is the…

Mar 27, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Nine Romanian monasteries are sewing bed linen sets for hospitals amid Covid-19 outbreak

In the new medical crisis which has reached Romania, nine monasteries from the Archdiocese of Iaşi, in the northeastern part of the country, offered to help hospitals. They have started making bed linen sets to be donated to local hospitals which are treating or prepare to treat Covid-19 patients. In addition to the cotton linen…

Mar 26, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

New measures regarding church services and social activities

Based on the Military Ordinance no. 1 of March 17, 2020, and the Military Ordinance 2 of March 21, 2020, which established successive measures to limit the freedom of movement and assembly of citizens, which also affects the public religious life of the believers, following the consultation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs on March…

Mar 23, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Mount Athos closes for pilgrims and visitors because of the coronavirus epidemic

Deputy civil governor of Mount Athos Aristos Kasmiroglou has suspended the entrance of outside visitors and pilgrims to the Athonite State until March 30, 2020, according to Orthodox Times, which quotes Greek website ethnos.gr. This decision excludes officials and employees of Athos. The Holy Community of Mount Athos accepted the government’s decisions as formulated in…

Mar 20, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Archim. Zacharias Zacharou: Pandemic as going out in the Desert. Christ is with us there by calling upon His Name

Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou from “St John the Baptist” Monastery in Essex, Great Britain, has sent spiritual advice to the faithful who are panicked by the current coronavirus epidemic. He gives the answer to the question how to face a possible interruption of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy? We should use this time for spiritual…

Mar 20, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Antiochian Archdiocese of America publishes service texts for faithful home reading

During the coronavirus outbreak, the Archdiocese has given the blessing to its faithful to read the texts of religious services at home. The faithful participation to church services has been banned in the United States during the instated state of emergency. Therefore, the Department of Liturgics of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America…

Mar 20, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Cluj Archdiocese gives food, accommodation for quarantined people

The four social canteens in the Archdiocese of Cluj can provide, upon request, free food for the elderly and the sick in self-isolation, the Archdiocese has announced. The Archdiocese is also ready to provide isolation spaces for those in need. The quarantine facilities are at the “Ioan Bunea” social missionary center in Sângeorz Băi city,…

Mar 20, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Now is the time of personal and social responsibility, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew says

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed a pastoral message on Wednesday “as a result of the global threat posed by the pandemic of the new coronavirus”, in which he stressed that “now is the time of personal and social responsibility”, a real opportunity to change for the better, in the direction of love and solidarity. His Holiness…

Mar 19, 2020Gheorghe Anghel

Romanian Bishop of Canada calls social distancing a difficult ascetic feat, urges reordering of priorities

In a pastoral message linked to the coronavirus pandemic, Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada referred to the social distance (recommended as a preventive measure against infection) as to an ascetic effort on the #lentenpath. The Romanian hierarch advised the believers to observe the norms announced by the state authorities and called for a change of…

Mar 19, 2020Gheorghe Anghel

Metropolitan Ioan of Banat donates two oxygen concentrators to the Railway company’s Clinical Hospital in Timișoara

Metropolitan Ioan of Banat has donated two oxygen concentrators to the Railway company’s Clinical Hospital in Timișoara. The devices are useful in the treatment of patients with respiratory problems. The metropolitan has made the donation at the request of the hospital, reports the Metropolis of Banat. The devices supply oxygen at a higher concentration than the…

Mar 19, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Guidelines for parishes and monasteries to comply with preventive measures against the new coronavirus (Covid-19)

The Chancellery of the Holy Synod issued a document with protective measures against the new coronavirus (Covid-19) for all parishes and monasteries within the Romanian Patriarchate: This isolation and quarantine do not have to be considered as estrangement, but an opportunity to enhance communion and a humble love of God and a merciful love of…

Mar 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu