April 3, 2020

Protocol No. 11/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

I am writing today to update you on our plans for the remainder of Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha. This morning the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America (of which I serve as Secretary) met for its weekly meeting to discuss ideas and options available to us on how to proceed in these most confusing, fearful and disturbing times.  We received and reviewed the most updated information from governmental, health, and scientific authorities. After much discussion and prayer, the Hierarchs came to the consensus of how we would celebrate this year.       

March 18, 2020

Protocol No. 8/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

          As this Coronavirus crisis continues to spread and intensify on a global scale, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is monitoring the situation with an urgent sense of responsibility towards the faithful and all people without exception, and, following the Communique of 11 March 2020, upon deliberation of its Hierarchs in the City announces the following:

1) The Ecumenical Patriarchate emphatically reiterates its appeal to everyone to limit their outings and travels to what is necessary, remaining in their homes for their own safety and the protection of the general public.

2) It commends the spirit of self-sacrifice demonstrated by those working in the field of healthcare and expresses its gratitude for their extraordinary and exhaustive efforts to assist those in need, as well as for the danger they knowingly risk by coming in contact with those infected by Covid-19.

3) It underlines the need for everyone to follow the decisions and instructions of the responsible health authorities for the sake of the common good.

4) In light of the decisions already taken by some of the eparchies of the Ecumenical Throne, today we universally declare our ecclesiastical resolution and mandate to cease all divine services, events, and rites, with the exception of private prayer in church that will remain open, until the end of March. This restriction will be later reassessed, in accordance with the development of the pandemic caused by the virus.

5) All Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monasteries will continue to hold regular divine services for their monastic communities, but outside pilgrims and visitors will not be permitted entry.

6) In the same framework, the Patriarchal Offices at the Phanar will remain closed until further notice, while the Ecumenical Patriarch and clergy of the Patriarchal Court will perform the prescribed divine services and pray for the whole world and for its speedy relief from this trial.

From the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod

March 12, 2020

Protocol No. 7/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

I am writing to you today with a sense of urgency, as we confront the new Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that is potentially affecting not only our physical and spiritual health but also our way of life in the United States of America.  If you have turned on the television, listened to the radio, or followed the announcements on your phones for the last three weeks or so, you would think that the world is coming to an end.  Local public and private schools are shutting down for several weeks.  Professional sports leagues are suspending their schedules.  Colleges and universities are closing down their on campus activities and doing everything on-line for the remainder of the spring semester.  Even the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball March Madness Tournaments have been cancelled.  What will we do for the next three weeks without our madness?  How about going to Church and observing Great Lent in a more meaningful way.

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 2nd, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, Pascha to receive the Resurrected Christ.

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another. In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our parish families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the Church in general.