Jerusalem, March 6, 2026
fundforassistance.org
Archimandrite Roman, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, is appealing for continued financial support as missile strikes and drone attacks have again disrupted life at the mission’s monasteries and properties in the Holy Land.
In an urgent appeal published by the Fund for Assistance to ROCOR, Archimandrite Roman describes how the first week of Great Lent was interrupted by air raid sirens and explosions. “On St. Theodore Saturday during Divine Liturgy, just before the time of Holy Communion, the prayerful silence of the moment was shattered by the piercing sound of air raid sirens,” he writes. “The faithful stayed in church as the unmistakable din of explosions was heard.”
He notes that such incidents have since become a daily reality. Israeli interceptor rockets have been destroying the majority of incoming missiles, though the explosions are loud enough to shake buildings.
Shrapnel from intercepted rockets has landed on mission property, Fr. Roman writes.
“We of course accept this dangerous situation as it is allowed by God for our sins and pray that hostilities will soon come to an end,” Fr. Roman writes.
The archimandrite also notes the broader impact on the mission’s operations. Airports have again been closed and all flights to and from Israel canceled. He had hoped that an increase in pilgrim visits in the month before Great Lent signaled a return to stability after years of disruption from the pandemic and the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, but says that hope has not been borne out. “Even if peace is soon attained, pilgrims will stay away for some time,” he writes.
Invoking the Lenten call to almsgiving, Fr. Roman quotes the Lenten Triodion: “Let us give bread to those in need, and let us draw near unto Christ, crying in penitence: O our God, have mercy on us.”
Donations to the mission can be made online via PayPal or debit/credit card.
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