On April 4, 2020, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine spoke on what people should do in order to overcome the coronavirus infection. He said people should pray, repent, do good deeds and find peace with God in order to overcome the pandemic, because when a person is with God, no trouble can prevail over him.
“Today we are experiencing a time when we are in trouble. The coronavirus is spreading and many people suffer from this infectious disease. Probably, the situation itself suggests things we should do,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
“At this time, we should try to help each other overcome this difficulty, this grief that we are facing. First, we should pray! For everyone: for the sick and healthy. Second, we should repent of our sins. This is also a good thing, because we destroy our sins with repentance, which are the cause of everything that befalls us. And finally, of course, we should first of all pray for and help the doctors who are at the forefront in this campaign against coronavirus. We should do everything in our power to facilitate their risky work,” said the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“We should help the elderly who do not have relatives, close ones, and do not have a source of livelihood. We should remember such people and do everything in order to help them survive this problem, this misfortune. We should open not merely our hearts, but also our churches and monasteries in order to serve people in this misfortune, help them not to fall into despair. We should do everything so that people could find peace with God,” said the metropolitan.
“When we find peace with God, everything will fall into place, and this disease, this misfortune will not be so terrible for us. Because it is terrible when we turn our back on God. But when we turn to God, no trouble is terrible for us, even death. Because God is the Source of life. When you are connected with the Source of life, no death has power over you, no misfortune can overcome you. So we will do good deeds, turn our faces to God, and we will be happy, even in distress,” His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry concluded.
