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No Easter?!
In Europe, where I live, it is now illegal to have any gatherings of more than 100 people. All liturgical masses are halted. If this goes on longer, it will mean no Easter celebrations, no pascha.
Is this right?? It will be the 2nd time in my life to never celebrate Easter.
Comments
Other neighbouring dioceses have a maximum of 50 per Liturgy.
And in America only 1 Priest and 2 Deacons are to celebrate the Liturgy, while congregants watch the live stream.
Just keep on praying!!!!!
i am very sorry some churches are doing this. COVID 19 has a MAX (more like 2%) 3% death rate, so i am very sad to hear small liturgies have been cancelled in some places.
i understand people may postpone Bible studies and social events, but i disagree on postponing liturgy. we need to sacraments so that we don't panic or over react (or become cynical and laugh at people panicking).
may God give our fathers wisdom and I pray all orthodox churches stay open (maybe limiting people to 100 per liturgy if needed).
there have been many plagues in Egyptian history, i don't recall reading that churches were closed before (except closed by force during persecution).
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ
The church was wrong to comply with the government decision to close Sunday schools on the day of the opening match of the African Cup.
The church was wrong to set a time earlier than midnight for the Nativity feast liturgy after the bombing of the two saints church in Alexandria.
I believe I am probably the only person who believes that, so it is OK to disagree with me.
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ
Difficult for me to answer, but I would rather go to God's house and be infected there (or rather die there). Should this be the hierarchical view? I don't know, they are in a difficult position but I think they should..
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ
don't get the racist joke...
hope you are not being racist; i would be very disappointed.
as for going to church, you don't have to sit next to anyone. keep a good distance.
avoid hugs (just like an extended Holy Week, smile but no kiss).
go mid week if you work schedule allows you (many of us have to work, agriculture, hospitals, police etc) so that only those who can't go mid week go on sunday, so there will be less people.
take a bottle of water with you to drink after liturgy, and some gluten free bread if you can't eat the orban, then this will be enough food and drink so that you can then travel home (you need to eat something, especially if cycling, see below!).
don't stay for tea and coffee, wave at people you meet and then call them later from home.
where there is no public transport, find out who lives near you and offer them a lift if you have a car.
cycle if you live close enough and not disabled/wobbly from old age (will give you strong lungs so you are less likely to die if infected).
just my opinion, and i also work in healthcare.
many of our churches give a generous portion of blessed bread / orban (around 100g, 3oz), enough to cycle 3 or 4 miles (5 or 6 km)! not everyone can eat it though, and i'm trying to be inclusive!
i get belly ache after around 25g (irritable bowel syndrome) and friends in my church have coeliac disease, so i always have gluten free snacks in my rucksack (call me if you come to uk!)
I am OK thank God and thank you very much for asking.. I am just disappointed about what is happening. First time I am seeing evidence of disbelief and impiety (I think that is how it spells, for the sake of avoiding saying ungodliness or atheism) from many respected figures at least for me. I didn't think that the words of the carols and Christian songs were mere mottos and vain - things like "your promise is true and immovable" : "my faith is unshakable" when some people start arguing against taking Communion through the masteer or you being afraid of going to church lest you get killed. Sorry I have to be blunt, sarcastic, or foolish but I really am very disappointed. The Book of Revelation talks about stars that will fall, and the oil drying up. Now I am getting the meaning, it is so clear.
Anyway, I need your prayers..
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ
You have a high level of education, my friend. God gave us intelligence, rationality, logic and a conscience.
I believe that we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. I believe that God is present with us through His Holy Angels during the Divine Liturgy.
I also believe the Eucharist is not a right. Is your faith only represented when you attend Liturgy?
If we were concerned about others, would we attend Liturgy? All I have heard is how this is difficult for [×], i.e., you, fellow converts, and my wife.
It is not the Devil who is creating this issue, it is our own selfishness and pride, which makes us feel entitled to the Eucharist.
You would rather go to God's house and infect five or ten people, and have three or four die? You wouldn't die instantly, it would be over time. So, your argument is not plausible.
The idea is to greatly reduce the rate of transmission. This is meant to be a selfless act, for the betterment of everyone, not just you.
When we look at some of the most basic teachings Our Lord has taught us about others, it is sacrificing everything for another person. Not just to bring them to God, but through our own actions.
This is part of our sacrifice. Not because you don't care if you get sick, but because you may unknowingly pass it to others in their family who are vulnerable.
This should be a time of rebuilding the foundation of our faith. God is within each of us in all aspects of our lives. We get caught up in what we believe we deserve, when what is most important is within our hearts. This should allow us to have a greater appreciation for the Divine Liturgy, our Clergy and our community.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
God has given us a very clear command here to obey the governing authorities, which, for me and all my American brothers and sisters here, is the CDC, as well as the World Health Organization. They have said, for the sake of the general healthcare system, NOT to congregate. As Italian said, physicians are not concerned with necessarily keeping people from being infected- it is making sure the hospitals that we have do not get overwhelmed. Again: we will all get sick eventually, statistically speaking. The goal is to make sure that the hospital doesn’t have to choose between giving the last hospital bed to Uncle Foulan or Tante Foulana.
Yes, this sucks. I am a servant, a deacon, a Christian, and not having a church open is devastating to me. I also know that having an open church with the entire congregation becoming a disease epicenter with half the elders in the hospital suffering through pneumonia is a much more horrible thing.
If the CDC and WHO say not to gather, and we disregard them, we bring judgement upon ourselves (literally, take judgement). I personally would not like to invite judgement upon myself, nor would I ask any of the people God has entrusted to me to do so. In this spirit, I encourage everyone, especially those who love the Church, to stay home.
I believe that going to church protects anyone from being infected because it is God's house. However if He wills for me to be infected and infect others inside His house, then that is His will. We should not stop going to church period.
Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡϭⲥ