Debates are raging on social media from coast to coast about whether or not Greek Orthodox Churches in our communities should close while we face a global COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the arguments I keep hearing is that in times of disease, God will protect Orthodox Christians and that in our two-thousand-year-history as a church, we’ve always been protected.
I keep hearing that disease can’t be transmitted through communion and people posting made up memes and unsubstantiated stories posing as historical truths.
I’m not here to argue about faith, nor do I expect an argument about whether you’re a better Orthodox Christian than me, or your neighbor who decided not to go to church.
I am here, however, to inform– and when asked, to offer my feedback and opinion.
Having lived in Chicago for almost 20 years, I often heard of the memorial at Evergreen Cemetery for the 161 Greek American child victims of the Spanish Flu pandemic that were from a single parish– Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.
Let that sink in as you argue about keeping your churches open or putting your family, friends and communities in harm’s way because you insist on participating in services.
161 children from a single parish.
I wasn’t around then to know if these kids all took communion from the common cup, nor do I know if a debate raged then– as it is raging now– about whether or not disease can be transmitted through Holy Communion.
I’ll let history, fact, logic and common sense– speak for itself, as does this memorial at Evergreen Cemetery, for the 161 children who died during the Spanish Flu pandemic in the early 1900s.
This photograph of the Greek children’s memorial at Evergreen Cemetery was shared with me by Angelo Loumbas, who wrote a thoughtful post on his Facebook page that reminds us all of what our responsibilities are as members of a broader community.
“I’ve been hesitating to post this picture for a few weeks now, but if it will help impress upon us the importance of social distancing, now is the time. This picture is of a memorial monument at Evergreen Cemetery in the Chicago area to the 161 children from one Church, Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, who died from the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918. That’s 161 kids from one parish. By social distancing ourselves right now, we can each do our part to avoid the eventual need to erect a second such monument this time (for each Church, Synagogue, or place of worship), or if we have to do it, one which will be much smaller and contain many fewer names. It’s up to us now.”
What Angelo didn’t say in the post is that his father’s sister, Frances Loumbas, was one of the victims of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, whose name appears on the monument. She died in 1924 at the age of 2.
Incidentally, Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago currently stands out as the only Greek Orthodox hierarch in the United States to take the bold move and close his parishes.
Indeed, his decision has been controversial. But who ever said leadership was easy?
Perhaps Metropolitan Nathanael has visited Evergreen Cemetery and has chanted memorial prayers for the 161 children from the parish of Saints Constantine and Helen in Chicago.
May the memory of Frances Loumbas– and all of these innocent victims of the Spanish Flu– be eternal.
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9 comments
Or the 5000 people per day who died during Justinian’s Plague in Constantinople (541 AC)
We were assigned a new parish priest at our Greek Orthodox church in the mid-1970’s, and the priest said that he can administer communion by spilling the communion into our mouths. We looked up, opened our mouths, it was to do this. The altar boys held the cloth under the parishioner’s chin and the parishioner also held the cloth under their chin if they wanted to do this. One didn’t have to do this if they didn’t want to but most did. This was done for older kids and adults and not for younger kids or infants who were administered communion in the traditional manner with the altar boys wiping the spoon with the cloth after one had received communion traditionally. At first, I thought it was different and untraditional and odd. After getting used to this, it seemed normal. I did not feel short-channged at all to the point that, when I moved, it felt odd that other churches didn’t do this. It seemed odd that older kids and adults have the entire spoon placed in their mouth. And it seemed odd and sort of backwards that the various priests at the various churches in the various states never mentioned holding one’s mouth open. Looking back, it seemed that our priest was ahead of his time and was logical in his approach. I wish other priests at other churches would do this. I would like to give him credit and could mention the priest and parish but not sure if the priest would be looked as avant-garde, insighful, ahead of his time, caring, or be treated poorly if anyone reads this (he is retired).
I think that the bishops are right that the Eucharist itself can’t spread disease, but proximity, icons, etc can.
It is important to realize that Chicago also refused to close their public schools during this pandemic. It is a mistake to blame the contagion on Holy Communion when the children were exposed all day, every day at school – and brought it home to younger siblings. Cities (like St. Louis) that chose to close schools and enforce quarantines had MUCH lower death rates. Cities like Philadelphia that ignored the risk and held public parades, and kept schools open had much higher death rates.
Is God’s will to avoid death? Are we sure?
And what proof do you have that the children contracted the disease in church at all? You make it sound as if they all caught it in church. That’s so dirty and misleading. Fake News at its finest.
Dear “Orthodox” mom (yes, the quotes are intentional). You obviously didn’t read the article and once you have and would like to re-comment, I’ll respond to your judgement. In the meantime, I hope you’re having a blessed and judgementless Lent.
Silvia, odds are that they did contract it at church. Besides, the case for erring on the side of caution is paramount. I appreciated the article especially so early on … and I hope you will find the hopefulness in it … it did not sound condemning to me.
This is a snobby comment. Chances are they did infect each other. Even if you cannot prove this, his warning is welcome and cogent.