JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] --  With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory,  our Diocesan St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in New York City,  is appealing to the faithful of the Diocese to assist them in a special outreach project for the medical front line workers in the Coronavirus Pandemic at the City's hospitals.  The text of an appeal letter from Fr. William Bennett, Pastor of St. Nicholas  follows:

Glory to Jesus Christ! Slava Isusu Christu!

Brothers and sisters across the diocese, with the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory, we are appealing to all of you today for drawings and letters to share with the physicians, nurses, all the medical professionals and hospital staff who have put their lives on the line for the health and care of our community. Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] -- A one-of-a-kind, in-depth interview by His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory will be aired on a very special 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling Program on Ancient Faith Radio on Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific). 

In this extended interview Metropolitan Gregory will discuss the following: JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] -- A one-of-a-kind, in-depth interview by His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory will be aired on a very special 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling Program on Ancient Faith Radio on Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific). 

In this extended interview Metropolitan Gregory will discuss the following: 

1. His upbringing and the challenges he faced along his journey;
2. How our Orthodox Christian theology can be reconciled with the world of science;
3. An update on the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops;
4. The background and history of the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America;
5. His official trip to Cuba as the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch;
6. His critical focus on our youth and emerging adults ministries and his vision for American Orthodox churches.
Read more...

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory the Diocese will be livestreaming the Moleben to the Cross from 24 different Diocesan Parishes over the course of 12 hours beginning at 8 A.M. on Thursday morning March 26 on the ACROD Facebook. A PDF of the Moleben to the Cross Service is available to download below for the faithful to sing along and pray together throughout the day. As His Eminence reminded us in his homily on the Sunday of the Cross when watching these services online, if we are in good health we should reverently participate as we would in Church.

This is a beautiful opportunity for our Diocese to come together in prayer asking God to send comfort and strength to those suffering with the Coronavirus and medical doctors and nurses on the front lines battling it. Parish Priests will also be inserting the special prayers for the defeat of the coronavirus into the Litany at the conclusion of the service. Read more...

March 19, 2020

Protocol No. 9/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

          I am writing to you again within 24 hours as the very fluid situation with the Coronavirus pandemic continues to change for us.  The Patriarch has reversed the suspension of services directive that we all received yesterday specifically for his Churches in the United States.  Below is the letter from His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros to the Metropolitans concerning this decision. Your Eminence, It is with brotherly joy but also with much agony that I communicate with Your Eminence in these critical and unsettling times, when all of humanity is in turmoil over this sudden pandemic of COVID-19. As Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, I am informing you of the just-issued decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod concerning the pastoral measures which must be taken for the protection of the flock of the Mother Church throughout the world.

Having discussed the situation with the Sacred Center of Orthodoxy, at length, and having inquired specifically about the United States, I received His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s reply, namely, that we should allow for the divine services, including Divine Liturgies, to be celebrated in our Holy Churches behind closed doors, as is the case with the Monasteries.  In this way we may be able to keep our liturgical tradition alive, even in this minimal way, but also that we may broadcast through streaming and other means the aforementioned services for the spiritual benefit of our faithful.

Having duly conveyed the above to Your Eminence, I pray for continued strength and resolve as we face this unprecedented and disconcerting situation.

With undiminished love in the Lord, and esteem,

New York, March 18, 2020

+Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Read more...

March 18, 2020

Protocol No. 8/2020

God is with us!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of the Diocese,

          As this Coronavirus crisis continues to spread and intensify on a global scale, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is monitoring the situation with an urgent sense of responsibility towards the faithful and all people without exception, and, following the Communique of 11 March 2020, upon deliberation of its Hierarchs in the City announces the following:

1) The Ecumenical Patriarchate emphatically reiterates its appeal to everyone to limit their outings and travels to what is necessary, remaining in their homes for their own safety and the protection of the general public.

2) It commends the spirit of self-sacrifice demonstrated by those working in the field of healthcare and expresses its gratitude for their extraordinary and exhaustive efforts to assist those in need, as well as for the danger they knowingly risk by coming in contact with those infected by Covid-19.

3) It underlines the need for everyone to follow the decisions and instructions of the responsible health authorities for the sake of the common good.

4) In light of the decisions already taken by some of the eparchies of the Ecumenical Throne, today we universally declare our ecclesiastical resolution and mandate to cease all divine services, events, and rites, with the exception of private prayer in church that will remain open, until the end of March. This restriction will be later reassessed, in accordance with the development of the pandemic caused by the virus.

5) All Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monasteries will continue to hold regular divine services for their monastic communities, but outside pilgrims and visitors will not be permitted entry.

6) In the same framework, the Patriarchal Offices at the Phanar will remain closed until further notice, while the Ecumenical Patriarch and clergy of the Patriarchal Court will perform the prescribed divine services and pray for the whole world and for its speedy relief from this trial.

From the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod Read more...