On October 2, students of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia from the Philippines, Tatiana Villaluz and Alexandra Laurente, arrived in Russia.The girls are heading to the Yugra State University to study Russian language first. Upon completion of the one-year course, they plan to enroll in the choir department of one of the theological schools in Russia. Previously, they were trained in Orthodox parishes in the Philippines. At Sheremetyevo Airport, they were met by the secretary of the Philippine-Vietnamese diocese, a graduate and teacher of the School of Orthodox Missionary (SOM), Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev).The next day, the students were accompanied by a graduate of the SOM, K.A. Korobkova. The girls visited the Church of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, in Meshchanskaya Sloboda, where they prayed at the Divine Liturgy and learned about church singing in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the service, Ksenia Korobkova showed the guests the churches and shrines of the historical center of Russian capital. Then the excursion continued with a visit to the Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery. The guests were met by a third-year student of the Theological Academy, M.A. Metelkin, who told them about the history of the monastery and the theological school. That evening, the students left for Khanty-Mansiysk, accompanied by Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev). In Ugra, they were met by Metropolitan Pavel of Khanty-Mansiysk and Surgut, Administrator of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese. The Bishop gave the Filipinos some advice, wishing them successful studies and God’s help in their work for the good of the Church and their people.
