Attitude to communicable diseases and vaccination in Church History

Unlike the persecution of Christians, the quarantine measures were accepted by the Church (having been given since the time of the apostles the words about obedience to the authorities) with understanding, and no one was embarrassed that the laws and regulations, for example, of the Russian Empire, provided for the situations with temporary closure of churches during epidemics.

Among the saints we honor holy righteous Fyodor Ushakov. Did you know that he managed to save his naval crew and the whole city of Kherson during the plague epidemic, and how he did it? The most severe quarantine was enforced there, and public worship services were banned. Admiral Ushakov put patrols at the entrances and exits, ordered everyone to stay at home, and isolated all patients. The disease was defeated, and the admiral was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir. This deeply believing man has become a holy prayer for us at the throne of God!

Many people remember one of the Orthodox patriarchs — Patriarch Pimen (Izvekov), and they revere him very much. About a year before his election as patriarch, he participated in the fight against the outbreak of cholera in the southern regions of the Soviet Union. The Caucasus, Astrakhan Region and Odessa were stricken with the disease — and the disaster threatened the whole country.

And then a decree was signed, according to which it was strictly forbidden to kiss the icons, and the Communion of the laity was blessed exclusively at home in case of infirmity or illness. This did not cause any changes in the attitude towards Patriarch Pimen in the church community, and the joint actions of the authorities and the Church made it possible to defeat the most dangerous disease quickly and with a minimum number of losses.

The historical experience of the Russian Orthodox Church has given us examples of the active participation of clergy in promoting vaccination as a medical procedure aimed at preserving the lives and health of people. In particular, the decree of the Holy Governing Synod of 1804 recommended that bishops and priests should explain to the people the benefits of vaccinations from smallpox. At the time, clergy had to study as part of their general education the basic means of applying vaccinations from this disease. The spread of vaccination programmes was supported, for example, by the ruling bishop of Moscow Innocent.

These are just some of the examples. Those interested can also refer to the “Handbook for Church Ministers” (Настольная Книга Священнослужителя), published for the first time at the end of the 19^th century.

Here are some of the measures regarding epidemics that the book prescribes: special treatment (cleaning) of the spoon after Communion; Communion of the sick after healthy; serving special (separate, everyday) liturgies for the sick; the order to leave the sick at home; and communion of the sick at home (and in the hospital), etc.

This is considering the fact, that the level of knowledge about the causes and the course of epidemics was completely different than it is now. (As the author of the article that is referred here, a bishop-virologist Peter (Mansurov) concludes.)

So, speaking of communicable diseases, the main feat of the clergy more often consisted in visiting hospitals or temporary housings filled with sick people, that was and remains a huge risk. But not at all hindering the civil authorities in their tremendous exertion on confronting a new, fatal for many, illness.

“Deserving of our gratitude and respect are the scientists and doctors who have exerted every effort to combat the effects and to avert the further spread of COVID-19 virus which has taken the lives of many people and caused significant disruption to peoples’ lives. Today, as in the past, thanks to the achievements of medical science, including in the field of vaccine prophylactics, it has become possible to warn of and lower the spread of many diseases, to alleviate the suffering which they bring to people and to reduce the mortality rate to zero after the use of vaccines for these diseases”, – is said in the Round Table Final Document on the Ethical Aspects of Vaccination in the Light of Orthodox Teaching, that was held on 20^th of May 2021 at the Sretensky Theological Academy (also used for this article).

Orthodox teaching vs confabulations

It is erroneous to think that a firm refusal to take a vaccine as such can be justified by Orthodox teaching. The right to choose a vaccine or the right to refuse is not a matter of Orthodox Christian faith, but it is the individual decision of each person based on personal beliefs, knowledge and experience of life, as well as by taking into account information from medical workers, the scientific community and vaccine manufacturers.

The (aforementioned) round table participants “regard as impermissible and sinful the spread of false evidence identifying the vaccine as “the seal of the antichrist” as well as conspiracy theories on the supposed use of vaccines as a secret means of introducing micro-chips into the human race.”

The concerns for freedom and neighbour

On the one hand:

“The Russian Orthodox Church has consistently adhered to the principles of the protection of the individual’s right to choose to use or not to use new and rapidly developing technologies, including in the field of medicine. In particular, the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasizes that “the doctor-patient relationships should be built on respect for the integrity, free choice and dignity of the personality. It is inadmissible to manipulate him even for the best purposes” (XI.3). In following this principle and at the same time recognizing the importance of supporting initiatives for defeating the pandemic, including the widespread use of vaccines, the round table participants believe it vital to guarantee peoples’ freedom to chose in relation to taking the vaccination against the COVID-19 infection and to exclude all forms of open or secret discrimination of people who refuse this vaccine for whatever reason.” (The Round Table)

By the way, this echoes very much to our Canadian practice of Managed Risk Agreement, that regulates a client’s high-risk behaviours in, for example, not taking prescribed medication…

On the other hand.

Here are the words of the Chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations of the Church with Society and the Media of the Moscow Patriarchate Vladimir Legoyda: “The Russian Orthodox Church consistently stands for voluntary vaccination. Everyone should make their own decision, taking into account, among the other things, the state of health and, at the same time, being aware of responsibility for themselves, loved ones and those with whom they have to contact at work and at home.”

“Vaccination is a kind of social duty. Say, you’re a young man, and maybe you don’t care about the coronavirus. Even if you contract it, you’ll get over it easily. But should you sneeze at an older [or confronting some condition] person, the one may not be able to survive the consequences…” (f. Vitaliy Shinkar, Kishinev, Moldova)

Is there anything stronger than communion? Of course not. Only some may not live up to receiving Communion, “thanks” to our “freedom”. There is Communion, there is Repentance; and there is something (or someone) that “preserves us (and our neighbors) for repentance” (by the way, these words are from the Akathist to the Protecting Veil of the Holy Birth-Giver of God).

The Church stands for the right for informed consent, but at the same time “noting that an evaluation of the effectiveness and degree of risk of side effects of medicines is not within the Church’s competence and is not one of her tasks” (The Round Table).

The Church “emphasizes the importance of a broad expert and public debate on the side effects, including delayed ones, as well as on the certification of these medicines” (The Round Table), but should anyone use authority to undermine people’s trust to the things he is not competent of? Just think, what the one who laboured hard to create the remedy, may think of the Church because of that…

Myths and defamation

Some people are confused by the new kinds of vaccines, saying something like “these are not traditional vaccines, but rather a program designed to override and manipulate the natural immune system of the body; these vaccines are only experimental and stand to do irreparable harm to a persons God given immune system.” But if that is truth, every encounter with every kind of virus would alter our genes (DNA). So far, we know only a few that are capable of that, including HIV, but not at all any kind of flue-like viruses. Quite revolutionary, but new COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, do their job to stimulate our God given immune system, and keep a very high level of immune response for more that 5 months.

Unfortunately, there are also multiple facts of defamation as for vaccination.

There is a video documented how one of the respected elders of the Church – now belated, and of blessed memory, archimandrite Vlasiy – had to declare, that he had not called anyone to reject vaccination, as his name had been used for that. He had to stand up and to emphasize, that, on the contrary, he asks “everyone to be vaccinated, to defeat this common enemy”.

Just recently the press office of the Diocese of Pskov had to deny the information about the alleged fleeing from the monastery of the three priests monastics because of their unwillingness to be vaccinated. “None of the brothers and employees, of course, were forced to vaccinate, leaving the decision to the free choice of everyone”, – also states the office.

Some Statistics for the Province of Alberta

          Compiled by archpriest Yevheniy Protsenko

Sources used:

Round Table Final Document on the Ethical Aspects of Vaccination in the Light of Orthodox Teaching, that was held on 20^th of May 2021 at the Sretensky Theological Academy. – https://mospat.ru/en/news/87333/

“«After all, everyone used to go to church during epidemics!» — The bishop-virologist responds to confusing comments about the coronavirus.” – https://foma.ru/

“The Church has never opposed vaccination, but everyone should make a decision about it, – Vladimir Legoyda” – https://foma.ru/

“Priests from Moldova told how they treat vaccinations from COVID-19” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHZVUSnEbqc&t=75s

“Elder Vlasius. How we are broken up by the rumors about vaccination” – https://youtu.be/Fcmfy0P9Jdw?t=1222

“Statement of the press office of the Pskov Diocese. July 9, 2021” – http://pskov-eparhia.ru/archives/30058