Even with closed temples, prayer must not stop — otherwise there will be no point for the Creator to continue to tolerate the human race…

Today in the Orthodox Church is the Entrance of the Lord to Jerusalem. This is the triumph of the Savior’s earthly life. After the resurrection of Lazarus, even skeptics believed in Him. But we know that this was the entrance to free suffering. The Great Entrance at the Liturgy symbolizes this event, that’s why the Cherubic song is always solemnly in a minor.

For the only time, the Chief of life allowed Himself to be praised, allowed precious myrrh to be poured out on His feet. Although He did not enter the city on a Quadriga, but on a donkey. And nevertheless, how much hatred from envious people: why You did not spend myrrh on beggars, etc.

“You always have beggars,” but do you always have God with you?

Даже при закрытых храмах молитва не должна прекращаться – иначе не будет смысла Создателю и дальше терпеть род человеческий…

Сегодня в Православной Церкви – Вход Господень в Иерусалим. Это триумф земной жизни Спасителя. После воскресения Лазаря даже скептики уверовали в Него. Но мы знаем, что это был вход на вольные страдания. Великий вход на Литургии символизирует это событие, поэтому Херувимская песнь всегда торжественно минорная.

Единственный раз Начальник жизни позволил восхвалить Себя, позволил излить Себе на ноги драгоценное миро. Хотя в город въехал не на квадриге, а на осленке. И всё равно – сколько ненависти от завистников: почто не потратил миро на нищих и т.п.

“Нищих всегда имеете”, а всегда ли имеем Бога?

The Lord wants real repentance and sincere prayer from us. “My soul! The end is coming”, sung in the Canon of St Andrew of Crete. Unfortunately, we only wake up in times of great danger. That’s why sorrows are allowed. They are not always a punishment for sins, because the righteous also suffer. But suffering makes us spiritually stronger, higher. “Whoever wants to follow Me, take your Cross” – says the Lord in today’s gospel reading. This means: if you want to go to heaven, accept your fate and forget about yourself. For eternity is for the meek. The proud won’t get along with it.
In the parishes of the diocese, on the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, prayers were served for deliverance from the epidemic. Services at this particular time are performed with all relevant precautions

During the second week of Lent, Saturday and Sunday services were held in parishes in Ho Chi Minh city (Vietnam), Manila, Tagaytay, and Mindanao in General Santos, Kyamba and Cayupo. The parishes of GenSan and Tagaytay also held Lenten services with the Liturgy of the Presanctified gifts.
General Santos hosted a meeting of the Sisterhood and distribution of humanitarian aid. Daily feeding programs for children from poor families are held at the parish in Tagaytay.
Two icons of the most Holy Theotokos, written on the donations of the Orthodox people of Ho Chi Minh arrived to the city from Russia. In turn, each family will take the icons to their homes until the next Liturgy, and at home they will pray reading the Akathist of the Intercession of the most Holy Theotokos.
Due to coronavirus pandemic, appropriate precautions are being taken in parishes; a “prayer Service during a pestilence” has been served.
Internal travel is restricted in the Philippines, so many parishioners were unable to attend services in Manila, and the monthly Liturgy in Cebu was canceled.

God is with us! The first Sunday of Lent is a celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy as the true faith and the only Church founded by God, Whose Image, as He revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, we honor today and forever. Festive services were held in the parishes of the diocese