Update on the Coronavirus

To the Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Diocese of the West:

 

The Lord bless and strengthen you in these difficult times.

This is turning out to be a most challenging fast, a fast that has been complicated by the pandemic of the Covid 19 or Coronavirus.

As many of you may already be aware, the public health authorities in the Bay Area have issued an order that essentially calls upon us all to remain home for the time being and only to leave when absolutely necessary. This order does apply to places of worship as well. Not to do so would risk exposing the lives of our faithful and, for that matter, the clergy – some of whom are in the high risk category.

Therefore, effective immediately, the parishes of the Bay area (San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties) are to be closed until further notice. The presanctified gifts prepared for the Liturgy Wednesday and Friday of this week should be consumed by the priest. The clergy are directed to comply with the recommendations of their local public health authorities which also may require the closing of houses of worship in other areas of the diocese.

We take this action with considerable regret but keeping in mind the health both physical and spiritual of the clergy and faithful who are under our care and for whom we are responsible. We have no doubt that disease cannot be spread by Holy Communion, but it can be spread, in this case, simply by proximity and endanger everyone present in the temple.

Furthermore, in all our parishes, the manner in which Sacrament of Confession is practiced will, of necessity, need to be changed a bit for the present. Priests may no longer hear confessions standing beside a penitent at an analogion, as has been the custom in our churches, as this presents a risk to both priest and penitent. For the time being, the clergy are instructed to make use of their office or some other room where he and the penitent can sit while maintaining the proper distance from each other. Ideally, that room should have a window to insure the safety of priest and penitent. If there is no room with a window available, another adult should be present outside the room. Absolution and the blessing that normally accompanies it should be given at a distance as well. I do not want to find the health of the clergy compromised such that they will require self-quarantining and be unable to carry out their pastoral duties.

The faithful who are ill may be confessed and communed by the priest by appointment as is our normal practice.

Archpriest Kirill Sokolov will prepare a homily and read the Epistle, Gospel and prayers which will be broadcast on the Holy Trinity Cathedral website for as long as necessary on Sundays (We will share this on our Facebook page). He may ask other deanery clergy to help him as well.

A further communication from our Synod of Bishops will be released tomorrow and will no doubt reflect instructions for the entire Orthodox Church in America.

As this situation is fluid and the extent of the pandemic is known in other parts of the diocese, these recommendations may apply where necessary.

Finally, no one wants to close churches. But, we are commanded to care for our neighbor. In this case it requires us to take steps to insure we do not imperil our brother or sister’s health.

†Benjamin
Archbishop of San Francisco