• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Orthodox Times (en)
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
No Result
View All Result
Orthodox Times (en)
No Result
View All Result

Coronavirus does not make Church slave, but it sets it free

Apr 20, 2020 | 15:56
in Opinions
Coronavirus does not make Church slave, but it sets it free

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

By Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

The pandemic that is currently shaking the entire planet has also struck at the heart of the Church, that is the Divine Liturgy, the congregation, and the Holy Communion.

Especially on Easter days, Christians feel the pain of deprivation. We were not able to worship the Crucified Christ on the Cross, to attend, holding a candle, the procession of the Epitaphios, to be given the Holy Fire after the announcement of His Resurrection, to receive the Body and the Blood of Christ.

Nevertheless, I believe that the pandemic does not weaken, but strengthens the Church because it highlights its most important message, the message of love, solidarity, and spirituality. After all, the Orthodox Church has done wonderful things in times of ordeal. In such days the name of our Lord is being glorified even more. Indeed, church services are no longer the same, considering that we have to express our faith in a different way as long as we are not allowed to go to church. However, the values that we hold dear inspire more and more people, who remember sorrows of the past and worry about the present and the future. We help them to give a new meaning to their lives through the tender mercy of our God.

The coronavirus disease does not make the Church a slave, but it sets it free! Believers may be physically far from the Church and its preaching, but they are spiritually and mentally closer than ever. They are ‘thirsty’ for prayer more than ever. They approach the Church differently and have a deep reverence. The quiet voice inside them starts to whisper the teachings of the Church and, therefore, they try to think theologically. We will not stop exercising our religious duties, but we will make an effort to adjust to the prevailing conditions and to the current ordeal to protect the lives of our fellow human beings, which is the most important gift given by God to us. We are now closer to God. Even though we are not able to venerate the icons anymore, we worship God in moments of quiet introspection.

Self-reflection, through repentance, forgiveness and confession, is inherent in the existence of the Church. Humans, who are now facing the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, are called on to reconsider their way of life, to revise their priorities, to seek true values, and to reject materialistic thinking. The modern people of the western world has turned individualism into ideology and identified happiness with success, wealth, and any kind of material possessions. However, humans pay, in the most dramatic way, the consequences, as they realise that there is no salvation for the privilege few and that wealth does not guarantee protection from anything. Environmental degradation results from human greed; the actions of humans, who act in the name of profit, will bring repercussions, which will cause even worst disasters. Humans are now aware of the fact that they are not God, and, therefore, they are not omnipotent. Everyone experiences fear, pain and death. The current ordeal affects all people the same way and without exemption regardless of race, beliefs, class or background. We are all equally children of God.

They also realise that the powerful, the glamorous, the influencers, the ones who seek attention and admiration cannot do anything neither. On the contrary, the people, who can do something, are not the ones who enjoy their five minutes of fame, but the ones, who are silent and discreet. They are the ones, who work unselfishly and passionately for the common good: doctors and nurses who fight in hospitals, researchers and scientists looking for drugs and vaccines, workers who help us meet our daily needs, cashiers and supermarket workers, people who distribute food and beverages, street cleaners, police officers and so many others who are far from home and face danger, whereas we are at home safe.

I express my sorrow for the thousands of fellow human beings, who are being severely tested and lose their lives in America. On the contrary, I am glad that Greece does not have to choose who will live and who will die. I always knew that our homeland, Greece, had great potential and that it could be a positive example for the whole world. This is what is happening at the moment in Greece. The Greek diaspora in the United States is proud of their homeland and takes great courage from the Greeks.

Once we overcome this challenge, we will have to answer the question of what we did and who we were during the period of the pandemic. We do not know to what extend things will change, but they will change. We know that the notion of social distancing will be buried so deeply in the unconscious of the people, not as a form of punishment, but as a more silent and discreet way of communicating. We realise today more than ever how important are relations and contact with other people, as well as physical and emotional expression. We realise how valuable and unique are all the things we have, which we are now forced to give away for some time. We took all those things for granted and that is why we were underestimating them. If we consider even little things to be of value, then we will be able to respect other people as well as our body, which is linked to the environment and the ecosystem. They are both creations of God.

We, Christians, will have the right to claim that we have respected science, which never conflicts with our faith. We will be following its dictates by being responsible, restrained, patient and by showing love and compassion to our fellow human beings. We stay temporarily away from the Church in order, on the one hand, to get closer to God and, on the other hand, in order not to put our health, our own lives, and the lives of our fellow human beings in danger. God the Father sent us His Son to be crucified for our sake. He did it out of love. So, we will be able to be resurrected. Christ is Risen!

* The article was originally published in the newspaper “Kathimerini”

Tags: Opinions

Follow OrthodoxTimes.com on Google News and learn all the news about Orthodoxy in Greece and worldwide.

All the latest developments in the Orthodox world, society and humankind, at the moment they happen, at OrthodoxTimes.com


Related Posts

The five plagues of Orthodoxy
Opinions

The five plagues of Orthodoxy

June 14, 2025
What do the Russians want in the Orthodox strongholds
Opinions

What do the Russians want in the Orthodox strongholds

June 10, 2025
Bishop of Melitene: Sunday of Holy Pentecost
Opinions

Bishop of Melitene: Sunday of Holy Pentecost

June 8, 2025
The Greek Orthodox Monastery of Sinai and the Challenges of a “Neutral” Declaration: Legal and Canonical Dimensions
Opinions

The Greek Orthodox Monastery of Sinai and the Challenges of a “Neutral” Declaration: Legal and Canonical Dimensions

June 6, 2025
Sinai Monastery: Ecclesiastical status, international protection, and challenges of modern legal landscape
Opinions

Sinai Monastery: Ecclesiastical status, international protection, and challenges of modern legal landscape

June 3, 2025
How autonomous is the Church of Crete?
Opinions

How autonomous is the Church of Crete?

June 1, 2025
Load More
Next Post
Wishes for Easter to Ecumenical Patriarch from Turkish politicians

Wishes for Easter to Ecumenical Patriarch from Turkish politicians

Latest News

Romanian Patriarchate ensures safety of its Holy Land institutions amid recent conflict

Romanian Patriarchate ensures safety of its Holy Land institutions amid recent conflict

by NewsRoom
Jun 17, 2025 | 09:10
0

In light of the recent outbreak of war in the Holy Land, Archimandrite Teofil Anăstăsoaie, the Romanian Patriarchate’s representative...

Archbishop of America celebrates first Divine Liturgy in newly-opened St. Iakovos Church in Valparaiso, Indiana

Archbishop of America celebrates first Divine Liturgy in newly-opened St. Iakovos Church in Valparaiso, Indiana

by NewsRoom
Jun 17, 2025 | 08:32
0

The church was filled to standing room only on Sunday, June 15, 2025, for the first Divine Liturgy in...

Patriarch of Romania: Sanctification of humankind was the purpose of Pentecost

Patriarch of Romania: Sanctification of humankind was the purpose of Pentecost

by NewsRoom
Jun 16, 2025 | 22:02
0

Patriarch Daniel of Romania explained that the Sunday of All Saints follows immediately after Pentecost because “the purpose of...

The Archbishop of Albania at the Theological School of Halki

The Archbishop of Albania at the Theological School of Halki

by NewsRoom
Jun 16, 2025 | 16:28
0

On Monday, 16 June 2025, the newly elected Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, John, paid an official...

Archbishop of Albania warmly welcomed by Megalo Revma Community

Archbishop of Albania warmly welcomed by Megalo Revma Community

by NewsRoom
Jun 16, 2025 | 15:00
0

On the evening of Sunday, June 15, the Megalo Revma Community had the distinct honor of welcoming Archbishop Ioannis...

Metropolitan of Maroneia expresses solidarity with Patriarch of Jerusalem amid Middle East tensions

Metropolitan of Maroneia expresses solidarity with Patriarch of Jerusalem amid Middle East tensions

by NewsRoom
Jun 16, 2025 | 14:20
0

Metropolitan of Maroneia and Komotini recently reached out by phone to Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem concerning the recent...

Newsletter

Sign up for our weekly newsletter



Quick Links

  • Orthodoxy
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • History
  • Press Releases

Get Social

About Us

Advertise

Contact

Terms Of Use

© 2025 OrthodoxTimes.com
digital world media

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Greek Version

© 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT