Тo the Most Reverend bishops, clergy, monastics, and all the orthodox flock of the Patriarchal Exarchate of South-East Asia.
Most Reverend Archpastors, Venerable Fathers, beloved brothers and sisters! CHRIST IS RISEN! I heartily congratulate all of you on the feast of Pascha – Divine, joyful, saving, which opened the way to immortality for everyone. The spring of faith has come, driving away the sadness of passions and the storm of thoughts (service on Thursday of the 2nd week after Pascha) and illuminating us with the wonderful light of the Resurrection. The Lord, who loves His creation more than a mother loves a child, ascended the Cross for us, and conquered death so that every believer could become an heir to eternal life. Compared to the blessedness promised by Christ, compared to the joy of being with Him, earthly sorrows and fears, problems and trials become insignificant, moreover, that God is with us in any circumstances. What could be more joyful for a believer than the knowledge that he is a beloved child of the Lord and the hands of the Father are always open to him! The crucified and resurrected Christ is not somewhere far away: He not only never leaves us, but creates us as partakers of His Body and Blood, temples of the Spirit, from which, every evildoer, every passion, may flee as from fire (prayer after Holy Communion of St. Simeon Metaphrastes). We have received from God the fullness of love, and it is our sacred duty to share this love with our neighbours and always be guided by it in our lives. Let, looking at us, believers glorify and thank God, and non-believers turn to Him, wishing to become the same bright and happy people as Christians. May the Risen Saviour grant all of you spiritual and bodily strength, peace and joy, spiritual vigour and all kinds of well-being, strengthen you in your works and good deeds, that His Holy name may be glorified through the ages. Amen.
Metropolitan SERGIY of Singapore and South-East Asia, Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia
To Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monasticsand All Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church
Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters! I address all of you, Orthodox Christians living in many countries of the world, who are now in churches or praying in your homes, to extend greetings to you on the great feast of Holy Pascha with my heart full of spiritual joy, and to proclaim victoriously in accord with the ancient tradition: CHRIST IS RISEN! It is in these very words that the Holy Church has been triumphantly proclaiming the glad tidings of the God-given salvation for two thousand years. In them is the fire of our faith, the strength of love, the foundation of hope, the cornerstone of the Church, the heart of the New Testament message to the world, the unfading light of enlightenment and the source of inspiration, the core of Christian life and our entire future. Whatever happens in our ever-changing, sometimes restless and conflict-torn world, whatever hardships and ordeals befall us, we know, believe and preach that the Paschal joy in the Risen Saviour remains unfailing and all-victorious. What is the meaning of this greatest Christian feast? In the name of what and why did the Son of God come down to earth, take the form of a servant (Phil 2:7), endure sufferings, being crucified on the cross, and rise from the dead? And what do we, people of the 21st century, have to do in order to become true partakers and heirs of Christ’s victory over death? The Church gives us answers to these questions, bearing witness that through the Son of God Who was incarnate of the Most Blessed Virgin hell is led captive, Adam is recalled from the dead, the curse is made void, Eve is set free, death is slain, and we are endowed with life (Sunday Theotokion, Stichera at the Praises, tone 2). Truly, the Lord quickens us by His love, delivers us from the fear of death and corruption, heals our spiritual and bodily infirmities, supports us in hardships and trials, comforts in afflictions and sorrows, and helps us follow the path of salvation leading to eternal life when God will wipe away every tear from [people’s] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more (Rev 21:4). Having performed the feat of redemption, through His sacrifice on the cross and glorious Resurrection the Lord opened the gates of heaven to everyone. From then on and to this day, every human being is given an opportunity to wholeheartedly embrace Christ as the true God and Saviour Who grants blessed strength for leading a life of righteousness and actively participating in the transfiguration of the world. Reflecting on the feast of Easter, Saint Nicholas of Serbia, a prominent theologian of the past century, wrote, Christ is risen – it means that life is stronger than death. Christ is risen – it means that good is stronger than evil. Christ is risen – it means that all difficulties in life are resolved (Thoughts on Good and Evil). And this Paschal joy, which is the joy of communion with God and of building up a new life (Rom 6:4) on the basis of goodness and justice, touches the hearts of millions of Christians, inspiring them to do works of charity and mercy, helping to overcome adversities, comforting them in ordeals, giving hope to the desperate and strengthening the faint-hearted. On the radiant feast of Pascha our special prayers are offered to God for people in combat zones. We as Christians cannot remain indifferent to the troubles and hardships of our brothers and sisters whose hearts are seared by the fire of internecine strife. So we lift up our fervent supplications unto the Lord that by His mercy and loving-kindness He may heal bodily and, above all else, spiritual wounds, give comfort in every sorrow and grant a lasting and just peace to the brotherly peoples that came from one Dnieper baptismal font. The earthly life of the Saviour was full of labour and sacrificial love for people, and we are called to become like Him in serving our neighbours, since any, even the smallest virtue, every effort to overcome our own selfishness for the sake of another person, draws us closer to God – the Source of life and immortality – and therefore makes us happier. May the Risen Lord Who in accord with His truthful promise abides with His followers even unto the end of the world (Mt 28:20) vouchsafe us, sinful and infirm, but thirsting for righteousness and seeking salvation, to inherit the blessed life after we complete our earthly journey, so that in the Heavenly mansions prepared… from the foundation of the world (Mt 25:34) we together with saints reign in His eternal glory (St Ambrose of Milan, Hymn “We Praise Thee, O God”). This joyful anticipation of the Kingdom of love to come, of God being everything to every one (1 Cor 15:28) is what the Church preaches at all times and even more so in the radiant Easter season. Let us hearken to the salvific voice of the Church calling us through the Holy Apostle Paul to celebrate Pascha not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:8). Let us heed and try to live according to the Divine commandments, by the truth of the Gospel, our good deeds and our whole life bearing witness before those near and those far away that Christ is risen indeed, unto Whom are due all glory, honour and worship unto the ages of ages. Amen.
On this day, the Church remembers how Christ washed the feet of the disciples during the Last Supper, when there was a dispute between them about which of them was older. And then the main thing happens, for which He gathered the apostles: while everyone was eating, Jesus took bread and, having blessed, broke it and, distributing it to the disciples, said: “Take, eat: this is My Body.” And taking the cup and giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins” (Mt 26:26-28). The Lord first gave to His disciples His Body and Blood, about which He had previously said: “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you” (Jn 6:53). The Last Supper ended late in the evening. It was followed by a lonely night prayer of the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane on the slope of the Mount of Olives, the arrival of guards, arrest, interrogations by the high priests, trial.
In the photos, a service at the parish in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cotabato province, Mindanao Island, Philippines.
On April 12, prior to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, Hieromonk Kornily (Molev) – Secretary of the Diocese, priest Moses Cahilig – dean of North Cotabato Deanery, and priest Nicholas Salgado – rector of the Parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Makalangot, Arakan, gathered for the blessing and installation of the dome for the church of St. Seraphim. The dome has long been prepared, however, due to the difficulties concerning its elevation and placement, its installation has been delayed. After a long time of careful preparation the dome was finally ready to be put in its designated place.
Nguyen Khak is a graduate student at Ho Chi Minh University in the Department of Religious Studies. He was familiar with many religions firsthand. His father is a Catholic, mother is a Protestant, but his soul was looking for the Truth. He visited the parish in Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau several times, read the Orthodox Catechism, the Gospel and the desire to become Orthodox only increased. On April 9, on Lazarus Saturday, the baptism took place at the parish in Vung Tau. The newly enlightened one is now named Savva, in honor of Savva the Blessed. During the Baptism, Savva read the Creed in Vietnamese.
Parishioners of the church in honor of St.. Matrona of Moscow on the island of Mindanao on the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem prayed at the Divine Liturgy. The parish has a Training and educational center for clergy of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese and laypeople. The center is headed by the secretary of the diocese and the rector of the parish, Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev). Newly ordained clergy undergo liturgical practice here, and translation activities are conducted. Father Korniliy, among other things, has his Telegram channel “Diary of a Filipino priest”, where he talks about the folk traditions and culture of local residents, and also keeps notes about the everyday life of an Orthodox priest in the distant Philippine archipelago – https://t.me/philippine_priest
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
