They look the same as the doctors in the “red zone” – dressed in protective coveralls, for head – helmet, legs Shoe covers. Face protect glasses and a respirator. But under the protective suit they have – the cassock, the stole (accessory of liturgical vestments – long tape, envelope neck and both ends down to the chest) and a cross.
In the Synodal Department for charity of the Russian Orthodox Church was formed a special group of priests, ready to give communion to patients with coronavirus infection in hospitals and at home.
One of them is the rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity at the Institute of emergency care Sklifosovsky, Archpriest Roman Batman. About pastoral service during the quarantine, with some questions and requests to turn him sick and afraid if he is infected, father Roman told the “MK”.
the Father of the novel in the past – the engineer, optician. Graduated from the Moscow Institute of engineers for geodesy, aerophotography, and cartography, and then – Orthodox St. Tikhon theological Institute. Since 22 years serving in hospitals. Was a clergyman of the Church of Tsarevich Dmitry in the 1st City hospital, is now rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity at the Institute Sklifosovsky. And the priest Ministers to the sick Bakulev cardiology.
Bypasses the prayer chamber. Confess and communion in intensive care patients. Compassionate and sympathetic, showing them the way out of the depressed state of joy to be with God.
At the end of March in the Synodal Department for charity of the Russian Orthodox Church was formed a special group of priests for communion of the sick with coronavirus in hospitals and at home.
I’m as sick priest just couldn’t stay away, says father Roman. – We had seminars and trainings, epidemiologist taught the priests to use the PPE. Developed a manual, approved by sanitary doctors. We studied in a certain sequence to wear protective suits, Shoe covers, gloves, masks, glasses. When filming “space suit”, it was important not to touch the exterior of the suit.
In a special group – 21 priest. They help lay people who have completed courses assistants hospital priests.
– the Chart we painted every day. We are not yet allowed to visit the hospital and we go to COVID-positive only at the house, explains the priest. – Of course, to perform the ordinances in a protective suit is very unusual. Movement shackled, hands in gloves, you clean tactile feel out of the package: the prayer of a confession, the gospel.
Psychologically unusual to be baptized in the gloves. I’ve never done before. Even when at the cemetery, during a severe frost, the burial service of the deceased, are zaupokoying the service for a certain time I remove glove. Hands, though cold, but suffer.
And here’s another thing gloves can not be removed. Of course, in a protective suit is very hot. Mask fog up. I at first had a special solution that you want to process the surface points. But eventually adapted.
Remember your first visit to the patient, who had discovered the coronavirus.
– With this man I know. He often travels abroad, lately in Italy. Also communicates closely with colleagues who are on business trips abroad.
the Illness came on him suddenly. He choked, “er” took him to the hospital. It was long treated. And when the house was quarantined, requested that I visited him. The man was desperate, his uncertainty scared me. About the virus because there is not enough information.
I confessed, gave communion. We have the blessing of his Holiness Patriarch how to do it in the home to minimize contact. We prigashaem, as was customary in the ancient Church, when believers were lagali a particle of the Holy gifts directly into the mouth.
the Cross and the stole I did not get, I have remained under the protective coveralls. This man for a long time was not in the temple. But there is a silver lining. When he fell seriously ill, for he suddenly discovered that he had not seen before. He realized that I need to change my life. Has revised its attitude to the wife, to children, to parents, to colleagues.
In the suffering man becomes more humble, learning patience. This helps us to see God differently, not as a judge or leader, but as a loving, native assistant.
– are You in the “suit” and a mask. How to understand the sick person that came to him not a robot, but a living person with consolation and prayer?
– Touch the man is not. “Hug” him with his voice, intonation, gentle tone. Trying to make people feel comes from me warmth, empathy and compassion. According to the established norm, we need to be in the apartment of the patient 20-25 minutes. The ordinances are carried out on a reduced rank. I usually try to leisurely conversation to convince a person calm and confidence to convey to the sick person the love of God.
answers the call with a volunteer?
– the First time the assistant was not. Then there was the possibility of help. One is very difficult to correctly put on the suit.
the Assistant looks between face and mask, sunglasses, hood had no gaps. It to be docked and securely tied. Because there is a risk of infection. And himself, dressed in “space suit”, is still waiting for me on the street.
When I go out, treats me with antiseptic, and myself at the same time. Helps me to gently remove the jumpsuit, lavorativa�� inwards, as do the doctors. We next in sequence remove other remedies, make their disinfection, put it in a specially prepared yellow bag, which then goes on the disposal of Alexis in the hospital.
From the house of the patient with the coronavirus, we do not tolerate. Leaves from the liturgical texts, which we printed on the printer, remain in the apartment. As well as a small cross and the gospel.
the Cassock was under the protective coveralls, but it is then still better to wash at temperatures below 60 degrees.
“the Patient died during the baptism”
– How people behave, “in line”?
– All different. Remember, I came to the patient in the hospital. He had cancer, he knew he was going to die soon. But it was Spain, said he was ready to transition to eternal life. Got out of bed to standing to confess and take communion. No signs that he is terminally ill, was not. I was sure that he will live another six months or a year. Managed it three times to visit, and two weeks later he was gone.
And there was another person who didn’t get out of bed for six months, but up to the last hoped that will recover. Said he is not yet ready, that he had a family, to raise children, that it will work. Asked to instill in him confidence and hope. He, unfortunately, died too. But, if a believer, in any case, ready or feels despair, he is still thinking of meeting with God.
– With some requests appeal to you?
Sick with coronavirus, to which I came home recently, going to have to write a will. Asked me to take care of his family, about children. I do not leave them encouraged. He had severe pain in the lungs. He lacked air. His family threw open the window, but it did not give the desired effect, he continued to gasp for breath… People in this situation really need spiritual support. They see that you have no fear, you’re sitting with him, talking, and they themselves lost the fear of the unknown.
You probably had in the hospital to baptize many. Some of them remember in particular?
– I often think of grandpa, who was more than 70 years. He asked me to baptize him, said, “I believe that some higher intelligence, higher power is.” I said it’s not enough to be baptized. You need to believe that Jesus Christ is God who became man for the salvation of men from sin and eternal death. What Baptism means new life. This is a special Covenant with God, a special relationship with Him.
what I the old man replied, “I don’t know, I just want to be with God, I want to be baptized.” This dialogue was about 15 minutes. In the end, he said, “I trust you, believe in the God, in which��CSOs believe you.” I started him baptized, and in baptism he died. I was very much impressed. I managed to monopolisti… Right before my eyes he died.
there have Been cases that otherwise, as a miracle, not call?
– Remember, the infant has gangrene. I started going regularly to give communion. And suddenly started self-cleaning. Where was the black spot began to appear pink skin. The doctor marveled.
And one day the relatives of a patient who was in intensive care, asked me to come to his communion. The man was unconscious. However, his relatives did not know whether he went to Church, confessed it. Communion in this case person, of course, impossible.
I went to him to just to sit next to, to pray, to anoint him with the Holy oil. And in that moment, when I went to ICU for the first time in three days regained consciousness. It became possible dialogue. People consciously confessed and received communion. And then just as suddenly went unconscious.
It was the same times and with the mentally ill. Came to them at the request of relatives. Relatives referred to their inadequate state. And suddenly they at some time came to himself, began to confess. And after I left, and again lapsed into its former state.
the Doctors themselves may baptize the patient, if he is in mortal danger?
– the Sacrament of Baptism can be made in exceptional cases, any baptized Orthodox Christian. We were at the hospital such cases. They walked just in front of the priest waiting time was not. In Sri behalf of the Sklifosovsky many doctors are believers. If a person is formed spiritually, he knows it. You say: “Baptized servant of God (or slave of God) …” and then blurts out the name of the newborn. Then the first time the head is sprinkled with water with the words: “In the name of Father. Amen.” Then a second time with the words: “And the Son. Amen.” And the third time when he pronounced: “And the Holy spirit. Amen.”
“Went in procession along the buildings of the hospital”
the Father of the novel reminds that all priests are special groups were trained. But the question of their admission in the hospitals where lay the sick with coronavirus, it is still not resolved. The Church at his own expense purchased protective suits, masks, respirators, gloves and Shoe covers. But they are in the “red” zone is not allowed.
– People, once at the hospital, keenly aware of the need to participate in the sacraments. To pain and a high temperature is added psychological burden. They need spiritual support. And now it turns out that in hospitals they have been abandoned, the priests in the hospital is not allowed. And not only there, where are the patients with coronavirus. In ordinary hospitals because of the quarantine, we also get pprakticheski can’t.
unfortunately, many believers are dying in hospitals without a Church parting word, without Communion. Ill ask you to allow the priest to him, and the doctors they are forced to deny.
Often it’s about the human factor. Remember, even before the epidemic of the coronavirus, there was an emergency in one of the emergency rooms. Doctors, apparently, was not comfortable, it was late evening, they had already put out the light. And then the priest is going to rise, it is necessary to see him off, watching as he dressed… Easier to dismiss. And I was refused.
But the man is in a serious condition could at any moment die. Here it is necessary to comprehensively zabotitsa about the person and about his body, and the spirit. Because the relatives of the patient insisted on my visit, appealed to the leadership. Then I was allowed. But now, unfortunately, and appeals to the leadership of hospitals lead to nothing.
– And the doctors come to you partake?
– Come mostly those who are there in our Church worship services. Our Church is clearly visible from the Garden ring. But you can only get there with the hospital. Parishioners now a little. Comes and medical personnel are free from work.
the Temple is huge, is where spread out, to stand at a great distance from each other. We served on Easter, and on Easter and during Bright week. Went in procession around the hospital grounds along the buildings. This year, unfortunately, without members. Sang a festive hymn. Have seen the sick clung to the Windows. It is important for them to know that life goes on.
– What are the questions most often asked by patients?
– Asking, for example, how many candles to put, how much and what kind of prayers to read to recover? Start to explain that it’s not a spell, you need to relationship with God was alive, present, as is the case between loving people. When a guy, for example, likes a girl, he gives her flowers because he can not give. God needs your honesty, your freedom. When people explain it, they widely open eyes. It is evident that they first heard of it. And very surprised that there can be such a relationship with God.
as a preventive measures are you taking any medications?
not Yet. But many priests taking medicine for prevention.
You have to see so much suffering of sick people. How are you holding up?
– When you face suffering, you must understand and feel that you have its forces will not be enough to migrate. For this we need the help of God. Our human heart cannot contain it all without harm to ourselves as our mind.
So there are two options. Or you your heart close tightly, and just pure fur��nical perform some actions – medical or religious nature. Or are you trying with the help of God your heart to expand, so it no harm could accommodate the pain and suffering of others. But for this we need the life of God, participation in the Sacraments, the appeal to Him for help.
Sometimes the doctors come in and say, “We have ceased to feel anything. Began to treat patients indifferent.” I said, “Have your spiritual life a little bit to spice things up. Such insensitivity affects not only the patients, but above all yourself”. This is reminiscent of the situation when asked, and to give alms or not people who may be deceivers?
In such cases I say that it is not that you are cheating and that you walk past an outstretched hand. Used to be merciless. This is the most terrible. Better to submit to those who you may are cheating, than if you have formed the habit of indifference and cruelty.
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