An informative update on the Church of Japan

Hakodate Russian Orthodox Church before the earthquake

(pravmir.com) - This morning, Archpriest Nikolai Dmitriev, a clerk of Japanese Orthodox Church from Hakodate, phoned in.

He told us how the believers are dealing with the hardships they are facing and what help they may need. Here is what he said.

Interior of the Hakodate church before the earthquake

“At the moment we are in touch with all the Orthodox priests in Japan except for Father Basil* whose house was located in one of the coastal strips. All those who got in touch are alive and safe, thank God; they are also in touch with their flock. The majority of the people are all right. (*From the editor: In morning of March 17th, Father Basil has also sent a word).

The main kind of help we need right now is spiritual. We ask you to pray for us, for those who are alive and for those whom God has taken to Him.

This is the most important thing that we need now. As for the food items and other kinds of humanitarian help, the UNO and many countries support us – we are not going to be in need.

What the Orthodox Church can do is to think it over and provide targeted help for specific people. In the near future, we are planning to get in touch with our church authority, asking the blessing for such work. In two or three days I shall be able to say specifically whom to help and what they need.

However, what is obvious already is that we will be in great need of Bibles, prayer books and little crucifixes – things that believers used to own and lost due to their houses’ destruction...

Complete article here.