We offer our continued prayers for all of the firefighting and medical personnel, (both local and from out of state), as well as for the residents who have been either fighting or fleeing from the Dixie Fire, the recently ignited Caldor Fire and other fires, most notably in Northern California. Thus far in the season, over 1,100,000 acres have burned and over 1,800 structures have been destroyed on account of all of the fires in our state. As of late, the Dixie Fire is 31% contained while the Caldor Fire is 0% contained. For more information, please visit:
Dixie Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/7/14/dixie-fire/
Caldor Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/8/14/caldor-fire/
We ask our families to please be mindful of your wellbeing: both the safety of you and your loved ones, if you are in proximity to these fires, as well as your health from the air quality. If the Parish can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact Fr. Seraphim or Fr. Christopher. If the need arises and your family is open to hosting others from our Parish who have been evacuated from their homes, please let us know as well.
Finally, we ask that you include the following prayer in your private devotion. Together, let us pray that God will keep safe those who fight the fires and that life and property will be preserved as the fires are extinguished.
PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM RAGING FIRES
(a modified version of a prayer by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens of blessed memory, translated from the original Greek)
Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. At this hour of great trial which our world is undergoing due to the fires which are utterly burning our natural resources and destroying our properties, in northern California and elsewhere, we feel the need to flee unto You for help, asking for Your mercy and for our safekeeping.
You saved the three Holy Children from the fire and glorified many Holy Martyrs when You ordered that not the flames of the furnace nor the red-hot irons of their tormentors touch them.
Lord, still the strong winds which multiply the fire’s destructive power and strengthen those who are called to confront it.
To those who are impacted and have lost their properties grant the power to endure; to those who had victims within their families grant comfort.
Lord, we do not know the causes of these fires; and if they are due to the heatwave or to human negligence, forgive the negligent and rescue Your people and Your inheritance from this threat, from the possible continuation of the destruction and from rekindling of homes.
If, however, the fires are due to the deceitful action of arsonists, Lord, let them be aware of their crime that they have willfully perpetrated at the expense of our people and Your creation.
Yes, Lord, we are sinners and we confess our weaknesses. Yet, Your Church cries out to You: “Unto You alone have we sinned, but also You alone we worship.”
We recognize our mistakes and we repent, with tears. Forgive us sinners and teach us Your precepts.
At this difficult hour, with Your blessed hand, shelter us and protect our blessed land. Rescue us from every situation and give us, once again, the joy of prosperity and of safety.
We call upon Your most holy Mother the Theotokos and all Your saints to intercede on our behalf. Amen.