Trump Calls On States To Reopen Places Of Worship Immediately

How the Coronavirus "Covid 19" affected the Church in the whole world

On January 28, 2020, the EU Presidency decided to activate the EU's Integrated Crisis Response Organization (IPCR). That is the EU's entity for crosssectoral crisis coordination at the highest level. At that time this International Forum officially announced that the entire world is witnessing a rapid spread of a virus disease called SARS-CoV-2, called Corona virus Disease, abbreviated as the "COVID-19".
His Eminence Archbishop +Nathaniel by a letter dated March 17, 2020, announced the members of ROEA's parishes and missions that "we are witnessing a terrible pandemic that has taken over the world, including our own country ... therefore, we are all urged to avoid any meetings ... including the meetings within the parishes and missions of: liturgical, administrative and social nature, at least until March 31, 2020.
On April 2, 2020 His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel sent to all ROEA's parishes and missions a Archipastoral Directive Letter giving guidance to the priests and faiothful regarding the Holy and Great Lent of the 2020 Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, stating that ALL THE CHURCHES AND MISSIONS WILL STAY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE HOLY LENT, HOLY PASSION WEEK, THE HOLY RESURRECTION, THE BRIGHT WEEK until ST. THOMAS SUNDAY (April 26, 2020), which means, the whole month of April 2020. It is for the first time in the history of the Episcopate, and in the vast majority of Christian Churches around the world, when the Holy Churches are closed for the Great Feasts-Days related to the Feast of the Holy Resurrection of the Lord.

Archpastoral Directive for Great Paschal Fast and Pascha 2020

Locations - If the church and parish house are on the same campus, the determined, blessed services may be celebrated by the priest with only family members who are living permanently in the parish house. There is to be no access to anyone else. Church doors must be closed during and after services; recommended health precautions must be taken.

If the priest must drive to the church, services may not be conducted by him in the church for the reason of re-locating from place to place. He may serve in his home.

Broadcasting Services

The services blessed to be served may all be broadcast through appropriate social media according to the experience and knowledge of the priest.

Home: Remember, if you do not know how to do this, you may not invite someone into your home to do this.

Church: If you are blessed to serve in the church, accordingly as above, the same applies -- you may not call anyone to help set up a broadcasting system.

Holy Services

• Pre-sanctified Liturgies (as prescribed) cannot be celebrated because of closure of the churches based on civil directions. The Great Canon may be said on a day other than Thursday, April 2.
  

• The Akathist to the Mother of God may be recited on Friday, April 3.
  

Lazarus Saturday

• No Divine Liturgy for Lazarus Saturday.

• Vespers may be celebrated in church/home only according to the above.
  

Entrance into Jerusalem/ Palm Sunday

• No Divine Liturgy for this Sunday.

• Matins: Bridegroom services may be celebrated on all days pre-scheduled.
  

Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

• No Pre-Sanctified Liturgy (of course there is no Lamb from any previous Divine Liturgy). Vesperal part of the Pre-sanctified with readings may be served as blessed above.
  

Great and Holy Wednesday

• Holy Unction: A modified service may be said without the sanctification of oil. The Introductory prayers, scriptural readings and perhaps appropriate prayers may be said. A short homily, relevant to the present condition of the world crisis and the frailty of our fallen human nature may be appropriate.
  

Great and Holy Thursday

• No Divine Liturgy. At a future, joyful time, the preparation of the Eucharist for  the sick can be celebrated.

• Matins: “12 Gospels” may be served as indicated above.
  

Great and Holy Friday

• Vespers of the “Removal of the Body from the Cross” may be served as above.
  In the house, perhaps a crucifix on a table would be appropriate and sufficient.
  Matins with “Lamentations” may served as above. No external procession.
  

Great and Holy Saturday

• The Midnight Office (if usually celebrated).
  

• Matins may be done only in the church with no external procession.

• There is no Divine Liturgy served; not in the church nor in the house.

• Vespers of Pascha may be celebrated within the church as above or in the house, as above.
  

Bright Week

• Paschal Matins may be served as indicated above.

We will issue further directives as time requires.

+NATHANIEL, A sinner in repentance 
Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
A Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America

Very Reverend Father Catalin Dan Mitescu fell asleep in the Lord on March 21, 2020, in California, due to complications of Alzheimer ’s disease.

Father Catalin was born on May 2, 1938, in Bucharest, Romania, the only child of Stefan and Daniela Mitescu. The family immigrated to Canada in 1948. Father Catalin graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, with a degree in engineering. He served for six months as a Guide in the Canadian Pavilion of the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958.

Fr. Catalin received his Doctorate in Physics in 1965 from the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) and was hired by Pomona College, Claremont, California, where he taught as a professor of Physics for 47 years until his retirement from the school in 2011. He was co-author of Physical Hydrodynamics, a classic work on fluid dynamics.

Father Catalin came from a long line of priests, from father to son, ending with his great-grandfather, Priest Ion Mitescu, who served at the church of Sf. Nicolae Domnesc in Iasi. Encouraged by Father Florian Galdau, a longtime friend of the family (Parish Priest of St. Dumitru, NY), and Father Richard Grabowski, his parish priest (Holy Trinity, Los Angeles), Father Catalin followed the Episcopate’s late vocations program as well as that of the OCA Diocese of the West. He was ordained by Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) to the Holy Diaconate in July 1980, at the Vatra Congress... (whole biography)