On January 4, a creative evening was held at the parish in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Vung Tau: everyone worked on it! First, the parents brought fruits and sweets, made blanks for crafts, dough for gingerbread! And then the children were already creating – with burning eyes and even small hands, they prepared cookies and decorations for the Christmas tree. Such meetings at this parish always happen before Christmas, because everyone wants a holiday!

December 27, in the parish of Kazan icon of the Mother of God in Vung Tau (Vietnam) a church meeting took place. The rector priest Evgeniy Tsukalo made a report on the life of the parish in 2023. Current issues and plans for the next year have been discussed then.

On Sunday, December 24, at the Archangel Michael Parish in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, a guest was received – priest Yevgeny Tsukalo, a cleric of the Philippine-Vietnamese diocese. During the Divine Liturgy, he concelebrated with the clergy of the temple, Abbot Pavel (Khokhlov) and priest Seraphim Choi.

” It is such a blessing that here, far from the Motherland, you can visit our Orthodox churches and parishes, pray together, take communion and feel oneself in communion with the whole Church! Thank God for loving us!” Father Yevgeny shared after the service.

On December 17, the 28th Sunday after Pentecost, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Hanoi. On this day, a parish in honor of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg was visited by the secretary of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese, Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev), who also celebrated the Liturgy.
Now it’s really winter in Hanoi, it was +11°C in the morning, but people were warming up with prayer. After the service, the parishioners organized a meal.

Baptism in the parish of the Intercession of the Mother of God in Polomolok

In preparation for the Nativity of Christ, the Department of Charity and Social Service of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese held a charity event for senior citizens at the Parish of Christ the Savior. Christmas gifts were presented to the pensioners of Tagaytay, and Priest David Grubbs and the staff of the department told about the Orthodox view of the Christmas holiday, which in the Catholic Philippines wrongfully overshadows the main Christian holiday – the Resurrection of the Lord.

Divine Liturgy in Bacoor (suburb of Manila) on Saturday, December 9.

Priest Eugene Tsukalo, dean of the Vietnamese Deanery of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese: The choir is one of the main participants in the divine service, the singers have a responsibility: that everyone in the temple should pray from their prayer singing. I never cease to be surprised at the help from God when people appear in the temple with the words: “Father, I am a professional musician, can I help you sing at the service? I am ready and have a great desire!” That’s how, after 3 years, we have our own choir! And I want to thank everyone who is involved in this, but may the Lord reward them for their efforts! In Nha Trang, there is now an opportunity not only to pray, but also to hear beautiful singing! And we will definitely grow up!

Divine Liturgy on the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, forefeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Parish of St Matrona of Moscow, Davao.

A student of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy from the Philippines took part in the regional stage of the International Christmas Readings. On November 23, 2023, a conference was held in the framework of the regional stage of the XXXII International Christmas Readings on Rizhsky Avenue in St. Petersburg. The topic of the conference was “Ancient Monastic traditions in modern conditions”. The event was attended by monks in priestly rank from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, as well as abbots, abbesses, monks and nuns of monasteries of the St. Petersburg diocese.Hieromonk John (Gondayao), a cleric of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia and a student of the Academy, made a report: “Peculiarities of monastic life in the Philippines.”

In his report, Father John noted: “The role of the very first Christian monks in the Philippines in the formation of the country is very great. The Roman Catholic monks who arrived in the Philippines played a big role not only in the Christianization of the locals, but also in the organization of institutions necessary for the development of the nation, such as schools, hospitals and charitable organizations. And the history of Orthodoxy in the Philippines is closely connected with monasticism – the first Filipino priest was a monk. Despite the absence of monasteries in the country, there are monks who live their monastic life for the glory of God in serving people in the parishes of the diocese. They strive not only for their own salvation, but also for the salvation of those believers who surround them. Monastics in the Philippines help the children of the Church to arrange a spiritual life, and help those in need in arranging daily life”.