With a broken heart, we are watching what is happening in our country and all over the world with the rapid spread of COVID-19. For this reason, we are back in touch with you to inform you about the following:
1. PRAYER CAMPAIGN. Christians, as we all know, should never stop communicating with God, especially during difficult times such as in the current pandemic, because prayer is the most powerful weapon we have in dealing with it. That is why, the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea is organizing a prayer campaign until the COVID-19 problem subsides.
2. TIME FOR COMMON PRAYER AT HOME: Every night from 10:00pm to 10:15pm we set up a time of prayer for our Church Members. All of us together at the same time, each one at our own home, we will pray for the victims of COVID-19, the patients, their relatives, but also for the doctors and nurses who offer so much help and take care of those who suffer, with so many sacrifices.
3. STAY HOME IN PRAYER. Until Lazarus Saturday (11/4/2020), please do not come to the Church, but stay in your homes in prayer. This will not put you at risk of unintentionally infect a fellow human being, but you will also be protected from the very dangerous COVID-19 virus. All the Sacred Services of the Holy Lent will be performed by our Priests with their assistants in our Churches, without the participation of the faithful. During the daily Services (9:00 am and 5:00 pm) of Matins, (p. 14-22), Great Compline ( p.62-91 and the Salutations (p. 115-131), we recommend to those who can pray from their home to use the special Prayer Book published by the Publishing House of our Orthodox Metropolis of Korea. Those who cannot pray at these hours, let them pray whenever it is convenient to them.
4. PRAYING IN CHURCH ALONE. Our Churches will remain open for anyone who wishes to visit them for personal prayer. Visitors we do not know will not be allowed to enter our Churches for the time being. Visiting pilgrims to the Monastery is also not allowed.
5. ONLINE BIBLE STUDY. Every Sunday from 14:00 to 15:00 there will be an online Bible study for the spiritual nourishment of the members of our Church.
6. THE PRIESTS VISITING YOU AT HOME. If you have any problem, do not hesitate to contact your Priest by phone or any other social media you may have access to. Also, if there is an urgent need, your Priest, taking the necessary precautions, may visit you at your home to offer you the Holy Eucharist or to perform some other sacred service.
7. MAY YOU HAVE A BLESSED PASCHA. With our faith in God, our unceasing prayer as well as our strict observance of all the rules of hygiene, we will overcome the great problem we are all facing right now. We hope that the Almighty God “will shorten the days of distress” (Mt 24:22), and soon we will all be together once again in our holy churches, following this temporary physical, but not spiritual, alienation, to glorify Him for all that He has allowed to happen for our own salvation. Happy Easter!
From the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea