Orthodox Reflections

There is something we don’t do often enough, and that is put COVID-19 into generational perspective. We focus on arguments over statistics, masks in Church, endless hand sanitizing, studies proving asymptomatic spread exists or doesn’t, etc. We moralize about loving our fellow man and protecting “the least of these,” all the while our parishes sink deeper into factionalism. In all the caterwauling, we somehow seem to forget that we are facing a real threat to the very future of Orthodoxy in North America. From our obliviousness, the crisis of the Greek Orthodox parishes in Toronto provides a needed wake-up call. That is our topic today, but before we talk about it, please remember these facts:

• The average age of death from COVID-19 in developed nations is about 80 years, with a median age of about 83 years.
• The average victim of COVID-19 is older than the average life expectancy.

Out of hysterical fear of a disease that is almost exclusively of serious concern for the very old (who are also relatively easy to protect), we are crippling the future of our children. And not just economically and academically, but their future in the Orthodox Church as well. If the current financial crisis in Toronto in the Greek Orthodox community is any indication, the spiritual legacy we wish to leave to our children is in serious trouble.

From the beginning of Summer 2020, Archbishop Sotirios of the Canadian Greek Archdiocese presented challenges for the Faith and the Faithful by embracing multiple spoons. When met with opposition, the Archbishop mischaracterized, dismissed, and was even occasionally vindictive to the Orthodox Faithful who challenged this innovation. At Orthodox Reflections, we covered all that in its own category which you may find here.  For a general synopsis of the issue, please click here. Archbishop Sotirios has been controversial over other topics as well. Recently His Eminence felt compelled to criticize the Jesus Prayer, an absolute treasure of Orthodox spirituality. What he said in a sermon, and a very good response to his words, can be found at the Mystagogy Resource Center.

The Archbishop was only part of the story, however. In Toronto, the Greek Orthodox Churches are owned and operated by a non-profit known as the Greek Community of Toronto (GCT). In July 2020, following a city inspection on the basis of a single complaint about communion practices, GCT sent the Archdiocese a letter that threatened to close all four Greek Orthodox Churches in Toronto unless the Greek Archdiocese agreed to abide by all guidelines issued by the City of Toronto. Here is part of the letter (emphasis added):

We request from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese to give clear instructions to the four GCT reverend Fathers to suspend giving communion in church, to encourage patrons to keep physical distance and also to refrain from kissing the priest’s hands.

 

In addition, we request confirmation in writing that the priests will follow the guidelines issued by the City of Toronto effective immediately. Otherwise we will be forced to shut down the churches to the public to protect the health and safety of our members and congregants and hold the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese liable for not adhering to all health regulations issued by the City of Toronto and government officials.

The video below shows the utter heartbreak of a faithful and loving Orthodox priest as he announced that he cannot provide Holy Communion based on the order of the City of Toronto (but also based on the threat of the non-profit owner of the church in which he was standing and the fact that his Archbishop chose to  go along rather than fight for the Faith).

A few days later in July 2020, a faithful Greek Orthodox parishioner in the Toronto area penned this letter of warning to the GCT. Some emphasis has been added:

the Orthodox Faith is not “subject to change” depending on feelings, fears or politics. It has been instituted by the unchangeable and Divine Christ Himself, who is present in the Holy Eucharist which has a 2000 year history of never transmitting illness or disease. If you believe this, it should be “business” as usual for the Greek Community’s churches in Toronto. If you do not believe this, or that the power of the Holy Spirit surpasses that of a virus, please find another way of doing business and stop this unprecedented and unacceptable abuse of the religious beliefs of your faithful patrons.

 

It is my sincere hope that you will align yourself and the Greek Community with what is godly and true and not with what is politically correct. You must realize that Christ, who is “not of this world” instituted a church which is “out of this world.” One cannot run churches according to the law of the land – only according to the will of God. Unless you are prepared to do that, please realize that you are in the wrong business field.

 

Christ, Himself, said, ”you cannot serve God and mammon” Luke 16:13. Therefore, your two choices are simple and clear: you must either run your churches according to Christ, or, forfeit them altogether. There is no in between.

 

I trust that you will think about this and make a decision going forward, because compromising the faith of your patrons, is not an option. It’s not easy being a Christian… Your faithful patrons have made their choice. Now, you must make yours. If you do not, don’t be surprised if your faithful patrons make the choice for you.

The GCT could have stood up for the faith. The Archbishop could have as well. But neither did, and so over the past year many of the Orthodox Faithful of Toronto have made their choice to move on. By not standing strong for the Orthodox Faith, the GCT now finds itself financially imperiled and looking to sell at least one of its properties. If you look below at the list, you will realize that the GCT may actually sell an Orthodox Church building. Since we live in an era when Church buildings are purchased to become bars, skate parks, dance clubs, and even strip clubs – what future awaits for these formerly sacred grounds?

The full press release is here in PDF. The most important parts are excerpted below with some emphasis added:

Sadly, the current circumstances have also had a devastating impact on the GCT. Our overall revenues have dropped by over 90%. Our current bank loan is $3.2 million dollars and our total debt is $4.5 million dollars, and we are on target to lose earnings of $2 million dollars by the end of 2021.

 

Given our current economic difficulties, an independent Advisory Committee was formed to explore the best approach to resolving our issue. After much research and deliberation, it recommended the potential sale of at least one of the GCT’s properties. Which would be one of the following:

 

· St. John’s & Alexander the Great Cultural Centre (1385 Warden Ave)

· St. Demetrios & Polymenakion Cultural Centre (30 Thorncliffe Park Drive)

· St. Irene’s Church (66 Gough Ave (795 Carlaw Ave)

· Virgin Mary’s Cathedral (136 Sorauren Ave)

 

Working closely with our Board, and with the approval of our Members, Cushman & Wakefield will begin soliciting offers on the above properties.

 

It is troubling and very saddening to be in a position that forces us to contemplate selling one of our most treasured assets, but the alternative is considerably worse. We hope you agree and are willing to see this through with us.

 

The very survival of the Greek Community of Toronto hangs in the balance.

Word is that the Greek Archdiocese in Canada is also in financial distress.

When the Church and related organizations sound exactly like the world, why bother getting up on a Sunday morning? Many nominal (“cultural”) Orthodox Christians have simply fallen away and taken their donations elsewhere. No dance classes or competitions, no Greekfests – without the cultural attractions, the “Christmas and Easter” crowd has found other uses for their time and money. After all, by being willing to close the parishes and cutoff communion, are you not implicitly telling your members that the Church is non-essential?

Many sincere, faithful Christians have moved on to other Orthodox jurisdictions in Toronto and around Canada. Your country of birth, your last name, your cultural heritage – none of that is going to keep you in a Church that does not teach the fullness of the Orthodox Faith. If you care about your immortal soul, then you will go where it can be best nourished.

This was entirely predictable, and was, in fact, predicted. Yet, those in charge watched it all burn down and did nothing to stop it until it was too late. Now they are scrambling to save anything they can. Greeks are a proud and capable people. They love their parishes and, as a whole, have prospered in the New World. If they can find themselves in this state, it should serve as a massive warning to the rest of the Orthodox Christians in North America not to be complacent. The Greek Community in Toronto may be the first really prominent financial collapse, but it will assuredly not be the last.

This is not just a Canadian or a Greek problem. A group of OCA priests wrote this on an Orthodox blog about their own bishops’ performance during the COVID “crisis”:

Without the sacramental rudders and moorings of the Church, the OCA bishops were cast adrift, as they tried to navigate the political landscape. They seemingly closed their minds to reason, as they closed the doors of the Church and they wanted no input from the priests fearing it would undercut their point of view.

 

The elevation of a virus to epic proportions, the threat of lawsuits, and the force of the government left the Church utterly depleted and redefined. The bishops folded. She stopped acting like the historical Church she was. She had no strength to take a stand in what could have been the Church’s finest moment in American history, an opportunity to show the whole of America who the Church is and how vitally important she is during extraordinary times. Sadly, she has become that dimly lit candle under a bushel. The Church may never get another opportunity in this country to demonstrate that she is the only hope and stability for mankind.

We face two opposing trends. First, the Orthodox Church in North America has probably never been (overall) more financially fragile and less hospitable to the Faithful, much less inquirers. Second, the demand for authentic Christian Faith has never been greater on this continent. Millions of broken souls are searching for the true Church of Jesus Christ. How these two trends resolve themselves is up to God.

We should all pay attention to what is happening in Toronto.  There but by the Grace of God, more of our parishes, jurisdictions, and ministries may go also. May God have mercy on us all. 

Nicholas – member of the  Western Rite Vicariate, a part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America, a COVID refugee from the Greek Archdiocese