Saint Mina Holmdel, NJ

Our Church

Dear beloved congregations of the churches of the Archdiocese of North America in New Jersey and the Diocese of New York & New England.

Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ to each and every one of you. We continue to pray for your safety and well-being and for the steadfastness of your faith during this difficult time.

We are facing an unprecedented situation in the recent history of our Church. In response to the global outbreak of COVID-19, communities throughout the world have taken extreme measures to attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus, including government-mandated lockdowns of entire regions. As you know, despite these efforts, cases in the United States have continued to rise and pose a significant health risk to individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, our community has likewise been impacted, as several parishioners and members of the clergy have tested positive for COVID-19.

In view of our spiritual and moral obligations and civic responsibility to cooperate with our leaders and make every effort to protect the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters throughout the world, the Church is cooperating fully with government efforts to implement social distancing.

Out of our love and care for our congregations and our neighbors, we are suspending all liturgical services in all of our churches effective immediately and until further notice. Each church will continue to reach out and serve her beloved children through our various technological capabilities, and we will remain united throughout this difficult period in prayer and fasting. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your priest(s) or servants in the event of any need.

Although the church building may be temporary closed, the mystical spiritual church within each of us, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our bodies as the Temple of God (1Cor 3:16;1Cor 6:19), is still open for prayer and offering an acceptable sacrifice to our Heavenly Father. In addition, during this period, the priests shall continue to pray liturgies in their homes upon the holy consecrated tablets which are used as portable alters and intercede for their congregation before the omnipresent God. We will remain united throughout this difficult period in prayer and fasting. We are all at your service if you ever need anything. Please do not hesitate for a moment to reach out to us.

May our Lord protect His Church and His children throughout the world, shorten these days and bring healing and tranquility to our land.

Click here to download the Third Joint Statement (English)

Click here to download the Third Joint Statement (Arabic)

Click here to download the Second Joint Statement (English)

Click here to download the Second Joint Statement (Arabic)

Click here to download the First Joint Statement in (En & Ar)

Special Joint Statement on Celebration of the Holy Week of Pascha and the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection for the Year 2020

"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed" Isaiah 53:5

Dear beloved congregations of the churches of the Archdiocese of North America in New Jersey and the Diocese of New York & New England,

Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ to each and every one of you. We continue to pray for your safety and well-being and for the steadfastness of your faith during this difficult time.

In our continuing efforts to assess the unfolding circumstances of these unprecedented times, and after more than 30 collective hours, including joint clergy deliberations and consultations with medical and legal professionals, His Grace Bishop David, in unison with all the Fathers of the Archdiocese and Diocese of New York and New England, hereby states the following.

Being mindful that:

− The number of those infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) is increasing day by day according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other official sources;

− The next few weeks are the most critical, as the number of those contracting infections is expected to reach peak levels according to medical experts;

− The virus is mostly transmitted by person to person contact, especially when in crowded areas and in close proximity to each other. As your spiritual fathers, our spiritual and moral responsibilities dictate that we must exercise caution for your well-being, and to avoid the further transmission of this virus;

− Federal guidelines, as well as many state and local laws, mandate the cancelation of any and all.....

Click here to download the special Joint Statement in (En & Ar)