Victory Day in the Philippines

The events dedicated to the Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, organized by the Russian Embassy in the Philippines, were held at the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Manila and at the construction site of the temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” on Panglao Island. As 79 years ago, these days coincided with the Bright Week, when Heaven and earth celebrate the Great Victory over death, which took place two thousand years ago. The Easter prayers were attended by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation M. I. Pavlov, representatives of the diplomatic corps and compatriots living in the Philippines.

Service in Arakan

On Thursday of Bright Week, the Secretary of the diocese, Hieromonk Cornelius (Molev), celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Arakan. All the priests of the North Cotabato deanery served with him: Priest Moses Cahilig, Priest Nikolai Salgado, Priest Ambrose Sumagaysay, Priest Anthony Aranko and Priest Raphael Frajillo. After the Liturgy, a meeting of the priests of the North Cotabato deanery was held.

Heaven rejoices, the earth is glad

The feast of St. Righteous Matrona of Moscow at the parish in Davao in her honor (this year postponed from May 2 due to Holy Week).

Throughout the Bright Week, the same Easter services are held in the Church as on the first day of the Feast of Holidays. These days, the constantly open Royal Gates symbolize an open paradise: the Heavenly Church rejoices together with the earthly one. According to a pious legend, even the souls of the deceased believers in these days, bypassing the ordeal, immediately go to heaven.

Pascha in Hanoi

Pascha is Christ the Redeemer Who opens Paradise for us…

This Easter, the Vietnamese Deanery of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese was replenished with another cleric. With the blessing of Metropolitan Pavel of Manila and Hanoi, Hegumen Micah (Selyakov) was appointed rector of the parish in honour of St. Ksenia of St. Petersburg in Hanoi and rector of the parish in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Priest Yevgeny Tsukalo will continue to take care of the parishes in Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City. Hegumen Micah arrived in Vietnam on May 3 and on the same day, together with the Embassy and the consular department of Russia in Vietnam, took part in the memorial action “Immortal Regiment”. After that, the priest met and had a friendly conversation with the Russian diplomatic corps in Vietnam.

On Easter Sunday, Hegumen Micah held his first festive divine service in the Church of St. Ksenia, which was attended by more than 50 compatriots, including Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia G. S. Bezdetko.