GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY OF WEST ISLAND OF MONTREAL

Refer to Posts, Articles and Publications related to COVID 19 and its implications to our Religious Faith

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted religion in various ways, including the cancellation of the worship services of various faiths and the closure of Sunday schools, as well as the cancellation of  Weddings, Baptisms, pilgrimages, ceremonies, festivals and individual freedom. Many churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples have offered worship through livestream amidst the pandemic.

Governments may soon find themselves defending provincial COVID-19 restrictions in response to  lawsuits filed by faith communities i claiming they unfairly restrict freedom of religion and association.

The Covid-19 pandemic tests everyone’s spiritual wellbeing, atheists and believers alike. Even those who don’t pray to a higher power still usually have some belief in how the world works that gives them a sense of safety and security.

Physical suffering is often only part of the difficulty that a person faces during a traumatic event or life-threatening illness. There can also be emotional and mental anguish — and spiritual distress or struggle. The last arises when a person’s basic belief system is shaken, and it can take place whether or not they are religious. This means that during a major crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to make sure that everyone is getting spiritual care.

People in spiritual distress often no longer believe the world is a safe place. They might lose hope and have a difficult time finding meaning and purpose in what’s happening to them. For a religious person, that often takes the form of losing faith in a loving and merciful God after witnessing a tragic event. But even those who don’t pray to a higher power still usually have some belief in how the world works that gives them a sense of safety and security. Serious illness and tragic events can challenge these anchors and throw a person into turmoil.

Religious leaders face conflicts with the Government regulations and restrictions, but worse of all face conflicts within their own Christian Orthodox Faith.