News and Events - March 2011
NEWS AND EVENTS - Tuesday, March 15, 2011

A REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE JAPANESE ORTHODOX CHURCH
AFTER THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI



With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America we were able to make contact with the Orthodox Church in Japan after several attempts. Metropolitan Danilo, the head of the Japanese Orthodox Church and the clergy were very touched by the concern shown by the Serbian Orthodox Church and our people towards our Japanese brothers and sisters who are undergoing such difficult temptations.
   
One problem we faced was interruption in telephone and internet connection which were used for emergency services. Due to a the unfavorable development regarding the situation in the nuclear plants Fukushima Daichi where four overheating reactors, one of which released radioactivity, the head of the Japanese Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Danilo of Japan, asks all Orthodox Christians to increase their prayers to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the salvation of the Japanese people.
   
His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America will serve on Tuesday February 15, 2011, a small memorial service for all the deceased during the natural catastrophe as well as a Moleban Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos for all injured and missing, as well as for the improvement of the situation in the nuclear reactors.
   
We also convey the letter that  we received from the Information Service of the Japanese Orthodox Church:

 
Beloved-in-Christ Serbian Orthodox Brothers,

In the name of Most-Holy Trinity, may God's peace prevail upon you.

The Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan and the Metropolitan Council wholeheartedly appreciates your prayers and spiritual supports. The nation's biggest earthquake in recent history struck the whole East Japan diocese and the subsequent tsunami disasters devastated the west coastal regions of Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaragi prefectures and damaged the city of Sendai partly, where the Episcopal throne of the Diocese exists, and almost all the regional Orthodox communities which exist along the Pacific coast.
   
The Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan, accepting condolences from and sharing sorrow and grief with brothers and sisters of Orthodox Churches all over the world, mourns for all the victims of this disaster and prays that the merciful and loving God may save the lives of all those missing people, and heal the wounds of all those injured, and comfort those who lost houses and possessions and are left homeless and defenseless, and for the repose of the souls of all those who perished in the terrible disasters, that God grant them peace and courage and strength to the national authorities who are making great efforts to save the lives of the survivors.
   
However, the whole nation still finds itself in danger and uncertainty; the aftershock of the earthquake continues and the prospect of recovery of traffic, communication and lifelines is not certain at all.
   
The Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan and the Metropolitan Council reconfirmed that Bishop Seraphim of East Japan Diocese and four priests and their families are all safe. According to Bishop Seraphim, the building of the Episcopal Cathedral in Sendai is totally saved but at least five Orthodox parishes and church buildings along the Pacific coast are severely damaged and one priest is missing.
   
There are eight parishes along the Pacific coast. We have no exact information about the safety of all those parishioners. The whole situation of this vast catastrophe has not been revealed entirely clear yet, though we getting more information from the damaged regions. We must pray more humbly that the safety of all those parishioners may be confirmed by God’s grace during the Lenten period.

Please remember us, the Japanese Orthodox Christians, in your fervent prayers.

With love in Christ,

Metropolitan Council Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan 
 
Serbian Orthodox Church
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