During the coronavirus outbreak, the Archdiocese has given the blessing to its faithful to read the texts of religious services at home. The faithful participation to church services has been banned in the United States during the instated state of emergency.
Therefore, the Department of Liturgics of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America has published online the texts of the religious services and instructions for the faithful on how to read them at home.
“The faithful can stand in front of their icons at home and still participate in the life of the Church during this difficult time”, mentions the Archdiocese on its website. “Even if we cannot sing the words, we can certainly read them plainly and reverently.”
During the Great Lent, the order is as following: The Great Compline for Mondays-Thursdays, Little Compline with the Akathist Hymn for Fridays, and Vespers, Orthros and the Service of Typika on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Akathist Hymn praises the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary and is especially recommended in times of great affliction.
In the United States only the clerics and the chanters can participate in the religious services held in churches, with a maximum attendance of 10. But the services will be streamlined live and, during weekdays, churches are open for individual prayer.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
