The Department of Charity and Social Ministries-Philippines and Vietnam-ROC (Moscow Patriarchate) first responded to calamity victims on the lakeshore of Laguna thru the FMI Outreach led by Fr. David Grubbs in November 2020. Since then, continued supplies of nutritious food, shoes, multi-vitamins, clothes, even personal care items (soaps, toothbrush, toothpaste) are being distributed to children in rural areas thru the Theotokos Mercy-feeding. Now led by a native Orthodox priest Archimandrite Philemon based in a town of Siniloan, the parish of “The Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross of the Lord” has recorded a total of 3000 beneficiaries within the first quarter of the year. Several anonymous donors (in cash or in kind) have shown a typical of Filipino norm of bayanihan even in the midst of Covid pandemic. Our volunteers & beneficiaries can sing with joy “Through the prayer of the Theotokos…”

Through the 2nd quarter of the missionary works, the spirit of orthopraxy has taken an upward step. In addition to sharing God’s plenitude with the hungry, this charitable activity is now coupled with nurturing the spiritual needs of the beneficiaries. The pastoral care includes short catechetical instructions thru icons, hymns, and blessing the households with Holy Water. The presence of a “man-in-black” with his trained volunteers harness the atmosphere of Christian community. Though lacking of proper venue & orderly arrangements, the event practically touches the hearts of grateful beneficiaries. Eventually as this missionary develops, the priest will be focused on praying & teaching the Word of God and administering the Holy Sacraments. At the beginning of this 3rd quarter of the year, we hope to see more volunteers “go-grow-glow” in God’s love “Through the prayer of the Theotokos…”

At the training center of St. Matrona of Moscow in Davao city, a week-long seminar for singers of Davao del Sur and Davao deaneries has been held. During the seminar, choirs from the parishes of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Arakan, the Epiphany in Talas, St. Apostle Thomas in Kinabalan and St. John of Shanghai in Santa Maria learned new hymns of the Divine Liturgy and the All-Night Vigil, studied the Ustav (order of the divine worship). We hope that the acquired knowledge will help to make our divine services more beautiful.

On July 21, the festival celebration took place in the parish of The Kazan icon of the Mother of God in Vung Tau

On Sunday, July 18, on the day of commemoration of St Serguis of Radonezh (translation of his relics), in the village of Kinabalan on the parish of St Apostle Thomas, the divine liturgy was celebrated led by the Secretary of the diocese Hieromonk Cornelius Molev.

July 12 is the holiday of the St Apostles Peter and Paul. This is the patronal feast of the parish in Salasang (Arakan, Cotabato). The Divine liturgy was offered by Hieromonk Cornelius Molev, priests Joachim Gonzales and Moses Cahilig and deacon Nicolas Salgado.

Holy Apostles, pray to God for us!

July, 2 is the day of St John Maximovich, of Shanghai and San Francisco. There are two parishes in our diocese in his honour. The one in Kiamba (Sarangani) is the first parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Philippines. The divine liturgy there was led by priest Roman Buniel and deacon Matthew Sale.

The celebration at the parish in Kapehan, Santa Maria (Davao del Sur) was held by Hieromonk Cornelius Molev, priest Joachim Gonzales and deacon John Mahinay.

Pentecost in Vietnam

The Holy Spirit had come down to make people again one family, in God and with God.

On this great day one more family was born in our community- of Roman and Xenia. May the Holy Spirit grant them His gifts in abundance!

The works on the restoration of the church of St. Queen Helena in Little Baguio is completed! After a series of devastating earthquakes on Mindanao Island, this temple was partially damaged, like many other buildings in the region. With the help of donors from Russia and other countries, it was possible to carry out work to strengthen the structure of the temple with external reinforcement and restore damage. We thank all the helpers in this holy work. According to the architect who supervised the work, the temple is now ready to endure many such earthquakes. But we, of course, pray that the Lord will save the Philippine land from disasters.