The training of newly ordained priests Nikolai Salgado and Ambrose Sumagaysay has been completed. As an exam, first Father Nicholas in the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Makalangot, and then Fr. Ambrose in the Church of St. Helena in Little Baguio successfully celebrated the Divine Liturgy without the help of other priests. After the services, the secretary of the diocese, Hieromonk Cornelius (Molev), handed over to the fathers the liturgical utensils for independent service. We wish the fathers God’s help in their efforts to save the Filipinos.
Author Archives: Антоний
Good News
Today is the Good News (Greek – ευαγγέλιο): “The Son of God becomes the Son of a Virgin”! This is the beginning of our salvation. It is noteworthy that the Annunciation almost always falls during Lent. This should remind us that our salvation is granted for labor and feats.
The parish of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Vung Tau (Vietnam).
Standing of Mary of Egypt
On the fifth week of the Lent the service of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is celebrated. This is the longest canon including the reading of the life of St. Mary of Egypt followed by the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, and it can be called the culmination of the Lenten feats. The service is held on Thursday but if the feast of Annunciation occurs on this day, the service of the Great Canon is transferred to Tuesday.
Charity in Laguna
At this difficult time, the work of the Charity and Social Service Department of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese continues, in particular, regular humanitarian aid visits to Laguna Province. We thank the sponsors of the FMI Charitable Foundation, its director, the head of the Department for Charity and Social Ministry of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese, Priest David Grubbs, and the rector of the Holy Cross Parish in Siniloan, Archimandrite Philemon (Castro).
Seminar in Davao
At the training center of St. Matrona of Moscow a seminar on Lenten services was held. This time, Priest Moses Kahilig and Priest Joachim Gonzalez, together with their Matushkas, took part in it. The fathers served the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts under the guidance of Hieromonk Cornelius (Molev), and their Matushkas learned Lenten Hymns. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was partially translated into the Cebuano language for this seminar.
Triumph of Orthodoxy
On the 1st Sunday of Lent in the parishes of Tagaytay and Manila.
Address of Metropolitan Pavel
Venerable fathers, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
On March 7, by the Grace of God, we are entering the great feat of fasting – a special time favorable for spiritual improvement.
The Lent is, first of all, a period of special fervent prayer to God. At this time, which we are experiencing now, prayer and fasting, as virtues, are vital for us. The Holy Scripture tells us: “God is Love” (1 John 4:16). But in order to find this love for the people around us, it is necessary to purify the soul with prayer, often confess our sins that darken the soul and distance us from God, and worthily partake of the Holy and Life-giving Mysteries of Christ. May each of us be able to concentrate spiritually on the days of the Holy Lent in order to adequately receive the Risen Christ into our hearts.
In such a difficult time that we are living, I call on all of you, dear fathers, brothers and sisters, to unite in prayer, I consider it useful for each Parish of the diocese to distribute among the parishioners during this Great Lent a daily reading of one kathisma from the Psalter with the addition of a “prayer for peace”, so that every day the Psalter is fully read at each Parish. As St. Ambrose of Milan says: – “The grace of God breathes in all scripture, but in the sweet song of the psalms it breathes mainly. History instructs, the law teaches, prophesies, foreshadows, moralizing convinces, and the book of Psalms convinces of all this, and is the most complete medical clinic of human salvation.” The spiritual benefit of reading the Psalter consists in bringing spiritual fruits, which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, abstinence (Gal. 5:22).
All these are gifts of the Holy Spirit, but they are given to those who seek God. Reading the Psalter, we, despite all our sins, raise our hearts to Heaven. May each of us be able to focus spiritually and unite in this important prayerful work for peace on the days of the Holy Lent.
The eve of the Holy Lent turns our thoughts to a spiritual feat.
We enter Lent through a special rite of forgiveness, and this is not accidental. The first words of the Savior’s sermon were the words calling for repentance: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
We know how easy it is to sin and how difficult it is to repent. Repentance is a Christian response to a sin, but in order to give an answer, you need to be able to correctly evaluate your actions and carefully monitor the state of your soul.
Mutual Christian forgiveness provides a good beginning to the passage of the Holy Lent, therefore, the Monk Ephraim the Syrian warns: “If you, man, do not forgive anyone who has sinned against you, then do not bother yourself with fasting and prayer: God will not accept you.”
I am aware that I, as your archpastor, could upset someone, offend, not take the time to listen and comfort those who needed it. According to my human nature, I have offended someone, willingly or unwittingly, and today I sincerely apologize to all of you, dear fathers, brothers and sisters, for my imperfections.
Bless and forgive me, fathers, brothers and sisters.
Let the Sunday of Forgiveness be not the only day of the “Rite of Forgiveness”, but our whole life will become a feat of repentance about our voluntary and involuntary sins. Thus, each of us will bear a feat of love and repentance and effective efforts to ensure that the peace and blessing of God return to our lives.
May God’s blessing be with you all during the days of the Holy and saving Lenten Week.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD,
Pavel
METROPOLITAN OF MANILA AND HANOI
First baptism
The first baptism of 3 babies was officiated by the newly ordained priest Ambrose Sumagaysay in Meocan river (Little Baguio, Cotabato). Priest Moses Cahilig assisted.
Address of the Most Holy Patriarch Kirill
To the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church
Your Beatitude! Your Eminences and Graces! Dear fathers, brothers, and sisters!
I take the suffering of people caused by the events taking place with deep and heartfelt pain.As the Patriarch of All Russia and the primate of a Church whose flock is located in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries, I deeply empathize with everyone affected by this tragedy.I call on all parties to the conflict to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties.I appeal to the bishops, pastors, monastics, and laity to provide all possible assistance to all victims, including refugees and people left homeless and without means of livelihood.The Russian and Ukrainian peoples have a common centuries-old history dating back to the Baptism of Rus’ by Prince St. Vladimir the Equal-to-the-Apostles. I believe that this God-given affinity will help overcome the divisions and disagreements that have arisen that have led to the current conflict.I call on the entire fullness of the Russian Orthodox Church to offer a special, fervent prayer for the speedy restoration of peace.May the All-merciful Lord, through the intercession of our Most Pure Lady the Theotokos and all the saints, preserve the Russian, Ukrainian, and other peoples who are spiritually united by our Church!
+KIRILLPATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA
Feast of Church in Manila
One of the four holidays of the year in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, February 25, coincides with the national holiday – Day of the EDSA Revolution (1986), so on this day many parishioners have the opportunity to visit the temple. In addition, according to tradition, the Iveron parish on this day invites priests and parishioners of all parishes of the Manila Deanery to celebrate together. The icon was found by Athos monks on Easter Tuesday in the 11th century. October 26, 1648 its copy was met in Moscow (after the revolution in 1917 it was lost). February 25, 1656, another copy was transferred to the Valdai Monastery, and on May 6, 2012, the first copy was rediscovered and handed over to the Church.
