Georgian Church on coronavirus: ring church bells, sprinkle churches and streets with holy water, increase prayer

Tbilisi, March 16, 2020

Photo: spzh.news Photo: spzh.news     

As have most Local Churches and many individual dioceses in the Orthodox world, the Georgian Patriarchate issued a statement concerning the ongoing coronavirus epidemic over the weekend, published on the official Patriarchate website.

The statement combines practical suggestions for ensuring health and safety with a number of spiritual guidelines.

“Civil liability requires us to follow these guidelines” from the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, the statement begins. The Church thus urges its parishioners not to travel abroad, and those returning from high-risk countries to self-isolate. Those who feel ill should stay at home and call upon a priest for pastoral care if necessary.

The Church also reminds all to practice good hygiene, emphasizing that additional security measures and disinfectants have already been issued to the churches.

Regarding spiritual advice, the Church calls on its faithful to drink holy water often and to use it to bless their homes and work spaces. They should also remember to say the Jesus Prayer or simply, “Lord have mercy.”

A prayer should be said before eating and the food should be blessed. A prayer should also be said after eating.

The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated as usual, though the Church blesses individual cups to be used for receiving the blessed wine (zapivka) after Communion.

The rest of the statement reads:

We would like to point out that the church is a special place of worship, and the Liturgy celebrated there is the most important ministry on earth. A person who believes in prayer will go to the living God, Jesus Christ, Who is Himself the source of life and peace, hope, and joy, and we must not depart from this grace.

We ask the clergy in particular to pray for those individuals who have been infected and for those who are selflessly caring for the sick and aiding their recovery.

After the Liturgy, the priests should serve a moleben and sprinkle holy water on the churches and the surrounding streets.

His Holiness, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II has made the decision that on every Sunday starting from March 15 the bells of every church across the country are to ring out in unison at 12 noon (as well as all Georgian parishes abroad at the corresponding hour local time) and the prayers the Our Father, Rejoice Virgin Theotokos, and Open the Doors of Thy Compassion, will be offered together. Whoever is not in church at that time, wherever they are, is called upon to join in those very prayers so that in oneness of faith we may implore the Lord together around the globe, across Georgia, and in our homes.

Furthermore, by the request of His Holiness and Beatitude, all of the Orthodox faithful are to read the prayer “To Thee the Champion Leader” every day, who has repeatedly saved the people from great tribulation.

We ask the clergy in particular to pray for those individuals who have been infected and for those who are selflessly caring for the sick and aiding their recovery.

We encourage the faithful to draw nearer to each other to surmount times of darkness, to forgive as Christ forgave, and to be exemplars of Christian love and care for one another: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Gal 6:2)

May the Theotokos come unto the aid of this country, unto each of you, and may this nation be strengthened in the true faith. Amen!

Pat. Ilia earlier revealed that he was granted a spiritual vision confirming that man can defeat the coronavirus.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, and Telegram!

3/16/2020

See also
Orthodox Church in Slovakia will be sanctioned if it continues to hold services amidst coronavirus fears—Prime Minister Orthodox Church in Slovakia will be sanctioned if it continues to hold services amidst coronavirus fears—Prime Minister Orthodox Church in Slovakia will be sanctioned if it continues to hold services amidst coronavirus fears—Prime Minister Orthodox Church in Slovakia will be sanctioned if it continues to hold services amidst coronavirus fears—Prime Minister
Pellegrini recalled that the crisis headquarters he heads has banned all mass public events, including religious services. The ban went into effect on Tuesday and will continue for 14 days. While the leadership of the Catholic church in Slovakia has taken corresponding measures, the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, under His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of Prešov, has refused to cancel its services.
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem closes after suspected cases of coronavirus Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem closes after suspected cases of coronavirus Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem closes after suspected cases of coronavirus Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem closes after suspected cases of coronavirus
All activities and events in the city of Bethlehem have been canceled and all educational and religious institutions have been temporarily closed for 14 days according to an order from the Palestinian Ministry of Health after a number of suspected cases at a Bethlehem hotel.
Patriarch Ilia of Georgia on the coronavirus: All of this is for strengthening of faith and prayers Patriarch Ilia of Georgia on the coronavirus: All of this is for strengthening of faith and prayers Patriarch Ilia of Georgia on the coronavirus: All of this is for strengthening of faith and prayers Patriarch Ilia of Georgia on the coronavirus: All of this is for strengthening of faith and prayers
The coronavirus is another test, designed to strengthen our faith, His Holiness Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II of Georgia told his flock during his Sunday homily at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.
Comments
RFSP3/17/2020 3:40 am
This is exactly the way many of the Orthodox clergy feel. But they are all obedient to their own Patriarch. In the old times all calamities confronted by the faithful, with the power of God through His Saints. Their faith keep them in peace and their hope for healing was positive. Then the faithful, surrender themselves to the will of God and were ready to accept the outcome, -positive or negative- as that was the will of God, happily. Many of the Orthodox clergy can see the cunning plan of Satan. How easily he manipulates the worldly leaders to support and approve and legalize anything that has been disapproved by God. So, what has been left for Satan to accomplish his catastrophic mission is to isolate the faithful from their Creator and especially from spiritual preparation and the Holy Communion. To force the faithful in a cunning way -as he did to Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden- to listen to him and disobey God. I only can pray to Almighty God Who can read the hearts and minds of all of His faithful to protect us all from this spiritual calamity and just take it as another test of whom after all is following Christ and who is following the Antichrist. "The lukewarm will be vomited".
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×