Communique of the Deanery of Great Britain and Ireland - 20th March 2020

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.

Our utmost effort on suppression of corona virus spreading is our moral obligation as well as our responsibility and commitment particularly during church services in our parishes in Great Britain and Republic of Ireland.

We therefore recommend the following:

- Please minimise contact with holy objects and relics in the church and with priests and other parishioners. You can show your reverence by bowing or making metania (metany).

- Please refrain from coming to church if you have corona virus symptoms, you have recently been in contact with those who have those symptoms, or you belong to any of the risk groups. If in doubt, we recommend to phone the priests who will be able to advise what is best to do.

- Priests and church councils will take all necessary steps to fulfil higher hygienic requirements in our churches during the pandemic, in accordance with our Orthodox tradition.

We also need to inform you that there won’t be either Church School or folk dance classes until further notice. Church restaurants will also be closed.

For all your spiritual needs please contact your priests who will be able to advise and help in the current circumstances, particularly with Holy Communion. This is time when we need to show good will, solidarity and love to each other, and particularly to our elderly parishioners by helping them as much as we can.

If further restrictive measures are introduced in the UK we will release another statement and advise what to do.

We pray to God to give strength, good will and patience to all, and especially to key workers in the UK.

Dear parishioners, in these difficult times we should multiply our sincere prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ who ‘has overcome the world’ and ‘took up our infirmities and bore our diseases’. There is no space for fear or panic. Facing these difficult times and isolation we should spend quality time with our families and loved ones, and we should take every opportunity to help our neighbours.

Expecting Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ

Deanery of Great Britain and Ireland, Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Britain and Scandinavia