Dear parishioners,

Gathered as we are in our family homes, Christ’s Resurrection slowly approaches to cross our porches and enter our hearts and souls. Today is Lazarus Saturday, tomorrow is Palm Sunday and next week is Passion Week which culminates in Christ’s and our Resurrection from the dead. These, the most important feast days in our calendars find us, as the rest of the world, in a strange situation of self-isolation and battle against the corona virus. Since the media is competing to highlight the most tragic corona news worldwide, we feel certain you have already heard more than enough about the problems and hardships caused by the virus. We recommend that in your prayers to the Lord, mother of God and the saints you ask for and find good health and salvation.

London 20th March 2020

Dear brothers and sisters,

As you know, we are witnessing an unprecedent pandemic which requires effort from all of us in order to minimise losses, particularly human. We hope that you are well informed about the pandemic in the UK and that you are following NHS instructions how to protect yourselves and others (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/). We also hope that you are following statements on the pandemic situation from our holy Serbian Orthodox Church in homeland and abroad, as well as from other Orthodox churches around the world.

Smedjerid Monastery, 22nd March 2020. 

To the pious priesthood and all brothers and sisters of the eparchate of Britain and Scandinavia in the Great Britain

In these our days we bear witness to the pandemic of the corona virus and to its effect on the modern world, which is undergoing crisis and tragedy of a depth not seen since the horror and destruction of world war. To greater or lesser degree this pandemic has indeed affected the whole world, and we are informed by experts in medicine that the worst days and months are yet to come upon us. This great tribulation has clearly been released upon peoples and nations in order that we might reassess our relations towards others, towards those closest to us, towards nature and generally towards the world in which we live. For there can be no doubt that it is human pridefulness and greed which lies at the root of this unparalleled crisis. These times in which we live demand of us a sober response to the newly-arisen situation, that we might remain completely calm and without fear, focused on the Lord himself, guided by our love for those close to us and for all mankind, indeed towards all of God’s creation.

The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been closely and carefully following up the daily news and statements of those in charge of the Church, the State, and the medical profession about the increasing spread coronoviral infection that is dangerous to health - and in many cases, to life itself – to life of millions of people.