www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News The liturgy & SARS fears

Dear Daniil,

Well, it's a good thing we don't have to worry about copyright on the Byzantine Forum.

I used that line about the Tsars in the prayer thread . . .

But great minds think alike, I suppose . . .

A blessed Pascha to you and your family!

Alex

that was a huuuuummmmmmmmmdinga'

good to hear from the guy a the libery.
study hard.

Col. Sergei Izvekvov (KGB)
Patriarch Moscow and all Russia.

Dear Ilya,

KGB?

Kinda Good Batiushka?

But really. I can't believe you are agreeing with and praising your own relative!

Yours must be a tightly knit family . . .

Good for you.

Alex

Dear Alex and Ilya,

That response was just way too fast. Instead of posting on this Forum I recomend the following:

Alex -- since no one else is doing it, write a service for the New-Martyrs of Ukraine. Include lots of podobens.

Ilya -- learn some cool podobens so we can sing the service for the New-Martyrs of Ukraine.

That is all.

Daniil

Dear Daniil,

The curtailment of my posting here is in the hands of the Administrator.

So far, there are no pleas from him, or anyone else other than you, to that effect!

I've already written an Akathist to St Theodore Romzha.

I'm working on others to our New Martyrs, please be assured!

Alex

hlas vtoriy, o divnoe povelenie!

ok.

ilya

Dear Ilya and Daniil,

O.K., why don't you both review my akathist to St Theodore Romzha, which is listed on "Town Hall" and let me know what you think.

Has anyone developed an Akathist to Andrij Sheptytsky yet?

If you think my time would be better spent in this way, I'm amenable . . .

Alex

At the risk of interrupting this Canado-Slavic internecine love-fest,.... I think it's a good idea to post the following information about SARS.

Yesterday afternoon, I was on a conference call with the head of Infectious Diseases at the CDC. In terms of avoiding infection, the following is the most recent information.

1. The virus is clearly transmitted by droplet. That is, cough and sneeze droplets from an infected person can be inhaled by another and the infection passed on.

2. Contact with infectious body fluids from an infected person can also transmit. That is, shaking the hand of an infected person or getting a kiss from a virus shedder can transmit.

3. 'Fomite' contact. That is touching a kleenex or pillow or handkerchief used by an infected person can transmit the virus if the infectious materials are carried to the face. (So, the removal of icons and plaschanitsa from the veneration of the faithful might indeed be a prudent idea.)


The question of "airborne" transmission is still not answered. A team from the CDC is now in Toronto to assist HealthCanada in both dealing with and investigating the epidemic. This is one question they'll try to answer.

One additional point: there appear to be two typs of infected people; one group are the ordinary virus-shedders/spreaders, but there are apparently "super-shedders" or "super-spreaders" who readily transmit the virus to significant numbers of people very easily. It is for this reason that the White House has issued an executive order stating that the public health authorities have the authority to both detain and quarantine anyone who appears to be a danger in spreading this disease.

It seems to me that the Canadian church authorities who put these 'countermeasures' into place prior to learning the most recent scientific and epidemiological information must have gotten a personal call from the Holy Spirit advising them what to do. Either that, or these church authorities are REAAAAAL smart.

Blessings to our Torontonian friends.

Christ is Risen!!

Dear Dr. John,

Thank you for that information and sorry about my two friends here . . .

The priest that announced to us the implementation of the new measures at St Nicholas is a hospital chaplain who is very close to the situation.

And over 260 cases and suspected cases of SARS infection, with 15 deaths, is nothing to sneeze at, no pun intended.

It would be the height of irresponsibility for any Church in the Toronto area not to take the necessary measures to protect their parishioners.

And if some Orthodox parishes think their members can walk on water, well, all I want to know is where the rocks are . . .

Alex

I agree with what you say, Alex. Temporary measures are reasonable.

Sure, we can get into philosophical, theological, and medical debates as to whether this disease or that might possibly be transmitted via saliva residue finding its way into Communion chalices or spoons or via the unseen specs of saliva that might be left on an icon one has kissed, but that isn't useful.

Under ordinary circumstances, I don't worry about catching this or that at church. But I'm not in Toronto, either. If I were, I'd be more cautious. It is a real crisis there.

I was in an RC church the other day with my husband and several people had taken to smiling and waving rather than shaking hands - they are nervous and I don't want to force my handshake upon them (isn't good fellowship if it isn't welcome!).

Dear Annie-SFO:


I agree.

Piety, upon meeting with the reality of SARS, should armed itself with common sense!


AmdG

Regarding the attendence at Orthodox parishes on the previous page of this thread, I learned Vespers and Matins from the OCA, ROCOR and Greeks years ago. At that time there was nothing outside of a very minimlized Divine Liturgy at the Greek Catholic parishes. I even attended Orthodox Vespers in spite of being forbidden to by a now-retired Greek Catholic priest.

Wow, that is off topic, isn't it?

Orthodox Church / Byzantine Catholic Churches do not have to worry about SARS.

said the Very Rev. Vladimir Malchenko of Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...51125549006&call_pageid=970599119419

Looks like only the Roman Catholics "New" Mass has to worry about SARS with all the kissing of peace and drinking out of the same cup.

I am distressed that an Orthodox priest would supposedly tell his people that they had nothing to worry about. In light of all the sick people and the dead from SARS, it would seem to me that prudence (God gave us brains for a reason!!) would guide our peoples in their lives. While the idea that "faith" can overcome many things, and it surely can, there is no reason to suggest that we should ignore what our reason tells us to do just so that we can test our faith.

While the priest can suggest that our faith will guide and save us, and it surely can, to completely ignore what our God-given reason tells us to do is to spit in the face of the One who created us in His own image and likeness by ignoring the intelligence that has been given to us alone among all of His creation.

We must be reasoned and prudent in all our actions.

Christ is Risen!!