July 19, 2020

Protocol No. 29/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Fathers and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

Today I write with a sense of great sadness, disgust, anger, determination, faith, and urgency.  

On July 10, 2020 Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally converted The Great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) into a mosque. Built in 537 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, for more than a millennium Hagia Sophia served as a place of rich spiritual and cultural inspiration for all. If you have ever been inside this World Heritage Site (I have visited it a couple of times) you know the awesomeness of this architectural wonder.   

In 1453 when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople, the Great Church of Christianity was converted into a mosque.  Later however, in 1934, it was converted into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.  Transforming Hagia Sophia into a museum opened it up to all people of all faiths and not the property of any one religion. Over 3 million people visited each year.

July 16,, 2020

Protocol No. 28/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

I am writing today to update you on several items as we continue to be challenged with the effects of the Coronavirus on our Church and its activities.  Many of our people have become ill due to the virus and several (too many of course) have succumbed to it and have fallen asleep in the Lord. May their memories be eternal!  The Diocese has continued to distribute an updated list of the sick, the dead, and those who provide care such as healthcare professionals and support staff, along with first responders and so many others. Let us continue to pray for all of our brothers and sisters.

We have tried diligently to follow the advice and pronouncements of local, state and federal government officials in thirteen states and a province in Canada.  It has een very challenging and difficult as we have negotiated our way through the situation, some would say “the mess”.  We reluctantly closed the doors of the Church to the public for several weeks, including Holy Week.  Eventually we opened up again with just a few parishioners attending services at first and gradually increasing the numbers as allowed. 

May 8, 2020

Protocol No. 24/2020

Christos Voskrese! Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese,

Today I am writing to summarize how we got to where we are in dealing with Coronavirus and to let you know the process for the re-opening of our churches.

Prior to this Protocol, you received five Protocols from me dealing with the pandemic known as Covid-19 or Coronavirus starting with Protocol No. 7/2020 on March 12, 2020. When Protocol No. 7/2020 was sent out, it was still early in the pandemic and so less was known about the virus than now.  These are some of the items mentioned in the Protocol:

May 8, 2020

Protocol No. 22/2020

Christos Voskrese! Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!

Dear Very Reverend Protopresbyters, Very Reverend, and Reverend Fathers and Diocesan Faithful,

Today I am writing to inform all of you that due to the current circumstances regarding the Coronavirus, I (hearing the advice of many) have made the decision that the following Diocesan Summer Youth Events will not take place onsite this year, but virtually:

The Altar Boy Retreat June 28 – July 1, 2020 The Young Women’s Encounter June 28 – July 1, 2020 The Camp Nazareth Summer Camping Weeks July 19 – August 8, 2020 The Camp Nazareth Science and Nature Week August 9 – 15, 2020

Today I greet you with great love and joy in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ following His glorious Resurrection. On Great and Holy Pascha, we behold the triumph of Christ, as He rose from death to life, from darkness of the tomb into the Light. With the Resurrection of Christ, all Creation is filled with a new Light of life and joy. On this Feast of Feasts, this Holy Day of Holy Days, we all proclaim the only truth that matters, the Truth that Christ is Risen!

This year we have experienced a different Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha from that which we normally do. The world has been turned upside down with the arrival of the Coronavirus known as Covid-19. This invisible entity has attacked us in a vicious way. Millions of people have been exposed to the virus showing no symptoms.