Orthodox Churches

Church of Greece: We unite our prayers every night from our homes against the coronavirus

The Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece invites Christians to jointly pray from their homes every night, from 10:00 to 10:15.

In yesterday’s decision after the end of its many-hour meeting, the Holy Synod urges “our Christians to pray with us from their homes every night from 10:00 to 10:15 for the cessation of the disease and for strengthening the work of the doctors, nursing staff and scientists-researchers,” whom it gratefully thanks and blesses.As it pointed out, already in the Monasteries in Greece there has been an alarm of continuous prayer.

Test on Italian Pilgrim to Mount Athos Negative for Coronavirus

A sample taken from an Italian pilgrim to Mount Athos has tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the AHEPA hospital announced on Monday. The 50-year-old Italian was sent to the COVID-19 referral hospital after he presented the symptoms (a cough and fever) of a suspected coronavirus infection. Based on the tests carried out, he appears to be suffering from an ordinary flu.

Bulgaria: Patriarchal Encyclical on Covid 19

On 11^th March 2020 His Holiness Patriarch Neophit sent Encyclical on Covid 19 and the church life according to the situation

To their Eminences Metropolitans, members of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Church:

Your Eminences,

Considering the epidemic situation in the country and having in mind the danger we are exposed to the virus of corona- COVID-19, in order to avoid the faithful to be infected I preventively provide the best possible staying in our churches,

Church of Albania: All services except of Sunday Divine Liturgies are suspended

Additional measures against the spread of the coronavirus were announced today by the Holy Synod of the Church of Albania.

The Albanian Church suspends all daily services except Sunday Divine Liturgies until early April, while encouraging believers to pray at home or on their own in the churches that will remain open during the day for that reason.

Church of Crete: Human health is paramount

“‘Human health is paramount; we call on believers to comply with the recommendations and instructions given by the official health authorities,’ as stated in the official announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”

This was stated to patris.gr by Archbishop Irenaeus of Crete and Metropolitan Makarios of Gortyna and Arcadia, who attended the meeting of the Holy Synod in the Phanar, and, as they noted, it fully endorses the decision of the World Health Organization regarding the coronavirus.

Pastoral activities and training programs of Metropolis of Dimitrias are suspended

All pastoral activities and training programs of Metropolis of Dimitrias, except operational ones, are suspended following the decision by Metropolitan Ignatios of Dimitrias for reasons of public health protection.

The rationale for the decision and the precise measures are described in an urgent encyclical, which was sent to the priests of the Metropolis of Dimitriados and Almyros.