REQUIEM PRAYER SERVICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

AKATHIST SATURDAY,  MARCH 20, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Glory to Jesus Christ!

A year has passed and we continue to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. Each and every one of us knows Covid-19 victims, their families, the sick, health care workers, volunteers, and all those on the front line during this perilous time.

During the Great Fast, we ask all of our Ukrainian Catholic parish communities in the United States of America to gather in liturgical prayer for the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.  We ask our priests to celebrate with the participation of our beloved faithful, the Requiem Divine Liturgy for the souls of the victims followed by the Panakhyda Service on Akathistos Saturday, March 20, 2021. Let us pray to the Lord our    Savior that He may place the souls of the Coronavirus pandemic victims:  “in a place of light, a place of verdure, and a place of tranquility, from which pain, sorrow, and mourning have fled” (Panakhyda service).

Let us remember in our prayers, the bereaved families and all those who are still suffering from the virus.  Let us continue to remember, pray and be thankful to all those who devote themselves to those in need. We support them with our words, and above all, with our prayers.

May the memory of the Covid-19 victims be eternal!

Вічная Пам’ять!

+Borys Gudziak

Archbishop of Philadelphia

Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States

+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM

Eparch of Stamford

+Benedict Aleksiychuk

Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+Bohdan J. Danylo

Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

+Andriy Rabiy

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia