August 1 is the day of St. Seraphim of Sarov. A lot of parishioners gathered at the parish in Makalangot village for the patronal feast. The All-night vigil, Divine Liturgy and procession were led by the clergy of the diocese in Mindanao: the secretary of the diocese, Hieromonk Cornelius (Molev), priests Joachim Gonzalez, Moses Kahilig, Nicholas Salgado and Ambrose Sumagaysay. In his sermon, Fr. Cornelius recalled the feats of the saint and urged the faithful to imitate him in piety. Reverend Father Seraphim, pray to God for us!

The baptism of the handmaid of God Mary took place in Davao at the parish of St Matrona of Moscow today. Congratulations to the born from water and Spirit for the new life!

Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Marat Pavlov met with the Secretary of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese, cleric of the Church of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Davao, Father Cornelius. Issues of the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Philippines were discussed.

The Secretary of the Diocese Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev) and Priest Moses Kahilig performed a memorial service at the cemetery of Guiuan, where Russian refugees who fled from China in 1949 from the persecution of Communists are buried. A prayer service was held with the akathist to St John of Shanghai at the place where the refugees were staying on the island of Tubabao. John of Shanghai was the spiritual mentor of the Russian community.

On May 31 the “Round-the-world” icon of the Intercession of the Mother of God completed its journey through the Orthodox Philippines by visiting the parish of Christ the Savior in Tagaytay. Among the pious Christians who found an opportunity to come to Tagaytay on a working day to honor the icon and the accompanying shrines were representatives of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, as well as a number of non-canonical churches. Tomorrow the icon will leave for Japan, and other shrines (particles of the Life-Giving Cross, of the Veil of the Mother of God and of 20 relics of saints) will be temporarily available for worship at the parish of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Manila until they are distributed to the parishes of the diocese. On June 10, the shrines will visit the parish of St. Nicholas on the island of Cebu.