“Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing,” St Paul said to Barnabas in Acts 15:36.
Should priests make home visits to members of the congregation now, as daily numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths dwindle? This question, which has irked many lately, begs an answer.
Ban on home visits
During the last two years which saw COVID-19 spread in Egypt, the Standing Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church Synod regularly convened to decide on how Church services should proceed during the pandemic. There were periods of church closure, partial reopening, and full re-opening according to the levels of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Egypt. It was finally decided, however, to leave the decision on the level of closure to the individual dioceses, seeing that COVID-19 figures varied from one locality to another in the country. Until recently there was an almost full ban on home visits by priests or Church servants to the congregation. Online spiritual care was recommended instead.
Declining COVID-19 figures
This year, Lent began as COVID-19 numbers showed steady decline. Lent is a time when Mass attendance in Egypt climbs, as do all forms of worship. In pre-COVID-19 years, Copts had been used to receiving visits from their priests and Church servants during which prayers were said to bless the homes and their inmates, and the family members especially the sick were anointed with Unction Oil. The ceremony is termed “Andeel” or “Gandeel”. During the last two years, home visits were off limits, and the Unction Prayer was performed only in churches.
Now that COVID-19 is in decline, many Copts wonder if home visits would resume. Watani decided to explore the issue by talking to priests in various places in Egypt.
Only the sick
Fr Surial Gad, priest at the church of the Holy Virgin and Anba Karass in Ezbet al-Haggana, east of Cairo, said that “in order to preserve lives and avoid spread of infection, home visits to members of the congregation are still not possible. But we offer online spiritual service by forming congregational groups on social media, each under the care of a specific priest. Sermons, hymns, images and videos are uploaded to these groups regularly and frequently. And the priest is there to answer any question or give help whenever needed.”
The exception to the ban on home visits, Fr Surial said, was in case of sick persons. “A priest visits these persons,” he said, “prays for them and anoints them with oil. He also gives them Communion at home.”
Otherwise, Fr Surial said, “the church is open to all for confession, prayers, and help.”
In other churches, priests have introduced the practice of holding group Unction prayer in church. Fr Philotha’os Ayyad, priest at Archangel Surial and Mar-Mina church in Umraniya, Giza, west of Cairo, told Watani that a priest would set a date agreed upon by five or more families, at which they would all come to church for a group Andeel. After that, the priest would sit with each family for a talk in which news and ideas would be exchanged.
Broadcast live
From Assiut some 350km south of Cairo, Fr Boulos Bishay, priest at the Cathedral of Archangel Michael, told Watani that home visits to the congregation had been relegated mainly to Church servants during widespread COVID-19, while strictly applying all protective measures. This was because many of the priests were elderly and thus among those vulnerable to infection.
“But now,” Fr Boulos noted, “we make the round of home visits together with the Church servants.”
From Alexandria in the North of Egypt, Fr Marcos Mikhail of the church of the Holy Virgin and Anba Pachomius said that churches are open to all, and that he has been receiving confession at his office in church. “But I cannot pay home visits,” Fr Marcos said, “because I am an elderly man, so am not allowed to do so. I call the people by telephone instead, which fortunately provides a form of direct contact. Whenever I call any of the congregation and hear their voices, I am overwhelmed by their warm love and joy.” The younger priests however, Fr Marcos said, make home visits. He confirmed that online services were in full force, and that all prayers and worship were broadcast live to the congregation.
Medical service
According to Fr Abra’am Gayed of the church of the Holy Virgin in Ain Shams, east of Cairo, home visits may involve offering medical services to those who need them. “At our church,” he explained, “I lead a medical team formed of Church servants who are doctors, nurses and pharmacists, to visit COVID-19 patients. We visit them for two purposes; the first is to answer their spiritual need, and the second is to attend to their health and medical needs. We follow up on their health conditions and help through medical procedures such as blood analyses, x-rays or scans, and treatment, ensuring their daily requirements are met. Such visits are done under strict adherence to all COVID-19 cautionary measures.”
According to Fr Abra’am, at times of difficulty and anxiety, the Church treads its well charted path of strengthening faith, dispelling fears, offering help, and guidance to all; in short, relaying the message of God’s love and mercy.
Watani International
30 March 2022