The Life of the Russian Church Abroad in Germany during the COVID epidemic
Interview with Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany

Maksim Buchnev

Europe is undergoing a COVID epidemic. Pravoslave.ru’s Maksim Buchnev interviewed Metropolitan Mark about how Orthodox Christians are enduring.

– Vladyka, how are our Orthodox Christian brethren of the Russian Church Abroad in Germany dealing with this crisis?

– It is hard, because we cannot celebrate all the divine services for our parishioners. We do perform daily services: two priests, sometimes a deacon, two singers at our monastery in Munich—the services are live-streamed. We cannot commune anyone of the Holy Gifts in church. We prepare Pre-Sanctified Gifts in larger quantities and invite people to enter the church one by one. We also announced that we are prepared to visit people at home at any time.

– What laws did Germany pass that Orthodox Christians must obey?

– We have new laws almost every day. There were times where different cities had difference regulations: some disallowed over 50 people to assemble, others 10, others 5. Now in Germany, no assembly of more than two people is allowed. For the Church, of course, it is very, very difficult…

– Are there special prayers during the epidemic?

– We pray in all our churches with supplications from the Trebnik against plagues. We include this during Liturgy, each priest follows his own procedure. Some read it, some use another one during litany. We leave this to each priest.