On St Nicholas day, May 22, Orthodox parish of St Matrona of Moscow organized the distribution of humanitarian aid to the needy families of Barangay Bukan in Davao city. More than seventy poorest families received food packages. Quarantined for more than two months, people in poor neighborhoods, unable to work or grow vegetables, are in a critical situation; many families have nothing to eat at all.
Before the action, the Secretary of the Philippine-Vietnamese diocese, hieromonk Cornelius (Molev) read the prayer for the end of the destructive plague and sprinkled the food and the area with Holy water.
Same action took place in Kiamba, Sarangani, by priest Roman Buniel and volonteers.

… let’s greet our Good Samaritans from the Department of Charity and Social Ministry of our diocese, who never tire of helping all those in need in these difficult times. May the giving hands never be empty as charity covers all sins (see Matthew 25: 34-40)

In the middle of the journey from Easter to Pentecost, we begin to prepare for the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit into the world. The visible symbol of His life-giving grace is water, the basis of organic life. Christ Himself compared It to living water that quenches thirst forever. Therefore, on this day, water is blessed in Orthodox churches, and the gospel stories of the 4th and 5th weeks after Easter are associated with water sources.

Inspiring news from our diocese: Vietnam is the first after China to declare victory over Covid19. The country has lifted the quarantine. On Sunday, May 10, after a 2-month break, the Divine Liturgy was held again in the parish of the Intercession of the most Holy Theotokos in Ho Chi Minh city. Priest Eugeny congratulated the worshippers on the past holidays, namely, the day of the myrrh-bearing women and St. George, giving flowers to the female half of the parish, and pineapples to the male half. 16 people prayed at the Liturgy, all participating in the Sacrament of Communion.

75 years have passed since the end of the greatest tragedy of mankind. Thanksgiving prayers and memorial services for 70 million of its victims are held in all parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church. In Ho Chi Minh City, Consul General of the Russian Federation A.V. Popov laid flowers at the memorial to Russian sailors at Laithieu cemetery.

This year, like reports from the front, we receive news of the Covid19 offensive. Famous people are hit daily, especially many of them among the priests and monks. We fervently ask the Lord to stop the epidemic and for the repose of its victims.

With the blessing of the Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia Metropolitan Sergiy the poorest residents of Davao city (Mindanao island) received charitable assistance. Volunteers distributed food packages to the poor and disabled in the city’s slums.

Under the conditions of quarantine, many Filipinos found themselves without a source of income, because they do not have savings, and assistance from local authorities is not always sufficient, and sometimes even does not reach the recipients. The center for social service of the diocese will continue to help those in need in the context of the pandemic.

Russia has experienced many wars, but two are called Patriotic. And if the war of 1812 ended on Christmas day, the Great Patriotic war was to end on Easter, so that the two great national triumphs coincided with the two main Orthodox holidays, reminding us of the main Victory of Christianity – the victory over death. The fact that in 1945 Easter fell on the day of St. George (this happens 1-2 times a century) is also not a simple coincidence. St. George is the patron of Russia, Moscow, the Russian army and personally – Marshal of Victory Georgy Zhukov. Although his name in Greek means “farmer”, the Saint in his youth chose a heroic profession-to protect the Homeland. Having performed many feats of arms, St. George was called Trophy-bearer (Victorious) during his lifetime. But he performed his main feat for Christ’s sake, refusing to participate in the persecution of Christians. Instead of a brilliant career, he chose death in terrible sufferings (new style – May 6, 303). Since then, his name has been a symbol of spiritual victory, but Orthodox soldiers consider him their patron. He is also venerated in European countries, and in the Caucasus, where the whole country bears his name (according to tradition, the enlightener of Georgia equal-to-the-apostles Nina was a relative of the great Martyr).

Liturgies and molebens to St. George were served in our parishes

The feast of myrrh-bearing women is the day of all female Christ’s disciples who follow the Savior since His earthly life. Women served the Lord those days and did not leave Him even after His death; today they carry their heavy Cross with firm faith in the Risen Christ.
In the gospel, there is little information about their feat and life. It was really a ministry, since they constantly accompanied Christ, worked for the Apostolic community and donated their funds. Mary Magdalene, Salome, Martha and Mary, Susanna, Joanna, Cleopa’s Mary and others came to the Holy Sepulchre on the third day after His death and brought with them the precious myrrh to show their love to the Lord for the last time. The myrrh-bearers were not afraid of being arrested. They were afraid of not having a proper burial, and hoped to see the Saviour for the last time. This day is dedicated to such boundless Christian love of sisters, wives, and mothers, whose daily work and care make a basement of our Church.

Paschal message from Mindanao

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?