“Pandemic is one of the ways to test our endurance and loyalty to God. Therefore, it is so important to direct all our strength, both physical and mental in right streams”, said bishop-auxiliary of Kyiv archeparchy Yosyf Milyan during an online meeting with users of social networks on March 26, 2020.
According to the bishop, everybody realizes an importance of communication nowadays. “We meet online to talk, particularly to talk about Church. Church, which gathers people for massive Services, where God abides in a special way, Church, where we bring our mourning and our joy. Under current circumstances, Church does not cease being a Church. However, it demonstrates today its “homelike appearance”. Everything starts with the home Church, and staying at home we remain Christ Church with our priests, our faithful and our hierarchy”, bishop Yosyf emphasized.
The protosyncellus mentioned that “even being under a lockdown, we have a chance to ask ourselves why it happens so, yet understanding that a person cannot find answers to everything, however we can be bearers of hope”.
Thinking about a global dimension of coronavirus and why such countries like Italy and Spain struggle to curb this disease, whereas China fought it successfully in a short time, the bishop said that “today a person can restrain themselves but faith – no. Faith is much stronger today, it makes us powerful, and we should rely on God’s power only”.
During an online meeting, all of participants had a chance to put their question to the bishop. Among the questions there was a request to explain how Church will celebrate Easter this year to what the bishop answered that Easter breakfasts and other things are blessed with a power of a prayer and grace of the Holy Spirit. This kind of blessing from Head of the Church, a bishop or a priest will descend on everyone.
Finishing the meeting, the bishop wished everybody a hope. “When hope for God’s mercy dwells in our souls, this evil and disease will pass our homes. God helps us to go through it, as long as we follow precautions, which will prevent the disease from spreading and taking people’s lives. Since the most precious things Ukraine has today are land and a human”.
The Press service of Kyiv archeparchy