Archbishop Anne Germond: First Anniversary of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic Declaration

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“Jesus Wept” – John 11:35
A letter from the Ontario House of Bishops to the faithful in Christ
on the First Anniversary of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic Declaration March 2, 2021

Dear people of God in Ontario:

Grace and peace to you in Jesus Christ. We pray that in this time of ongoing uncertainty Lent remains a time of drawing nearer to God through prayer, penitence, and generosity.

In a year of many firsts for our generation, we are approaching the first anniversary of the declaration of the pandemic by World Health Organization on March 11th. Only two days later this was followed by an announcement from the bishops that church buildings would be lockdown and in-person worship would be suspended as of March 15th.

The scripture verse that we have chosen to mark these anniversaries in our common journey is Jesus’s arrival at the grave of his friend Lazarus - John 11.35, “Jesus wept.”

We invite you to join us in marking the year that has passed by observing March 11th as a day of fasting and prayer. We invite you to ‘stand together’ with us and observe 3 minutes of silence at 11:35 am on that day as we call to mind the loss, the pain, the grief, the resilience, the compassion, and the extraordinary sacrifices that have been hallmarks of the past year. A liturgy will soon be shared on the ecclesiastical province’s website for use in marking this moment. Alternatively, or additionally, parishes may choose to commemorate this occasion as part of their Sunday worship services on March 14th or at another appropriate time...[read more].