The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is the triumph of the Savior’s earthly life. They want to make him King, because He can Make Israel Great Again. So that they would not obey to the Romans but they would be paid tribute by the barbarians, as in the times a thousand years before. And that it would be good for everyone in Israel. But it is impossible to build happiness on neighbor’s grief, and instead of seizing power, Christ continues to teach: “Pay to Caesar that is Caesar’s and to God that is God’s”, and “Love your neighbor”. And we know that in a few days the Son of God will be betrayed, tortured, and crucified by His people. And no one will stand up for Him. Such is the gratitude of Israel for that the Lord healed his children of diseases. For freeing him from the bondage of Egypt and Babylon. He would have freed them from the Roman one as well, but He came to free us from the bondage of death.And in the coming days, called the Great Days, we will once again watch with awe the realization of the Divine plan for our salvation. Holy Week is the culmination of Christianity and human history. Yes, the creation of the world was also the greatest event and miracle, but this is hardly mentioned in the church calendar. Because it was easier for God to create the universe than to guide us to the right path, for which He had to taste death. The trillions of stars in the sky do not obscure His main creation for Him; the life of each of us matters to Him! As well as the prayer of each of us.
Meeting with the Consul General
On April 15, the parish of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Vung Tau hosted a meeting of the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Ho Chi Minh City Mr Sadykov with the rector of the parish priest Evgeniy Tsukalo.
Timur Sirozhevich Sadykov just arrived at a new place of work and when visiting Vung Tau offered to get acquainted. The Consul General was accompanied by Consul-Adviser Vadim Valeryevich Basinsky.
Priest Evgeniy spoke about the parishes in Vietnam, about the peculiarities of a parish life.
Sunday of Veneration of the Cross
Today, the Catholic Philippines celebrate Easter. But today, the Jews also celebrate their Easter (the exodus from the Egyptian captivity). The Orthodox Church does not celebrate Easter together with the Jews, since the Resurrection of Christ was after the Jewish Old Testament Passover. In our calendar, today is the middle of Lent, and we remember the Cross of the Lord- “a temptation for the Jews, a madness for the Hellenes” (1 Cor. 1: 23). A temptation, because the crucifixion was an execution for the worst villains but the weapon of death became the weapon of victory over death. Madness, because the Son of God suffered for the people. Suffered for we can be saved and see this His Love for us forever. Love which “never ceases” (1 Cor. 13, 8)
Seminar in Davao
On March 29-31, at the education center of St. Matrona of Moscow in Davao city, one more seminar was conducted about Lenten services for the clergy. Now it was for the General Santos deanery. Priest Roman Buniel and deacons Matthew Sale and Alexiy Bergado, after the classes, together with Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev), completed a full daily circle of Lenten Divine Service, ending it with the Vespers with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts like their brothers did a week ago.
Seminar for clergy in Davao
On March 23-24, at the education center of Blessed Matrona of Moscow, a seminar was conducted about Lenten services for the clergy of the Davao deanery. Priest Moses Cahilig and deacons Ambrose Sumagaysay and Nikolay Salgado, after the class, together with Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev), completed a full daily circle of Lenten Divine Service, ending it with the Vespers with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Secretary of the Diocese visited N. Zamboanga
During the Cheesefare Week, hieromonk Korniliy (Molev) visited two communities of the Independent Nestorian Church in the province of Northern Zamboanga, that wish to join Orthodoxy. Last year, the priest of these communities came to the Davao Mission Center to get acquainted with the history and teachings of the Orthodox Church. Due to the pandemic, teaching the faith for these communities was remotely, but, finally, it was possible to visit them personally. Local Christians were keenly interested in the teachings of the holy fathers, asked about the nature of evil, about the danger of superstition. We hope that with God’s help, people in this region will have the opportunity to learn about the intact apostolic faith.
Forgiveness Sunday
Open to me the doors of repentance, O Giver of Life! Tomorrow let us start a new life! Already the whole year is like the Lord is waiting for our repentance, pushing us to turn our minds towards Him. And now this season is starting: if not now then when else? Last week we remembered the life in Paradise, but our ancestors didn’t last long there. And today we are reminded that we are in exile in this world for reason: to learn to obey to God and to be humble (for the proud people can’t get along with each other in eternity).As the first step, we ask all our neighbors for forgiveness…
Metropolitan Paul speech before the beginning of Great Lent
Pancakes in Vung Tau
On March 11, a tea party with pancakes for children was held at the parish in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Priest Eugene told the children about the upcoming Great Lent, gave several recommendations on how children, due to their age, could pass the field of fasting with benefit for the soul.
Visit to Cagayan
On March 9-10, the Secretary of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese, Hieromonk Cornelius (Molev) at the invitation of the Russian compatriots, made a pastoral visit to Cagayan-de-Oro (northern Mindanao). The Russian Stretch Ceiling company operates in this city and its director Andrey Sayapin and his staff have been waiting for an Orthodox priest for a long time. Originally from Vladivostok, Andrey has been working in the Philippines for several years as a representative of a Japanese company, and now he has started his own small business. He is one of the few compatriots who was forced by work to spend the time of the pandemic in the Philippines, sending his family home. Being a deeply Orthodox person, he is very suffering to remain for a long time without pastoral care, so as soon as it became possible to move around the island of Mindanao, Fr.Cornelius came to Cagayan, gave communion to the Orthodox employees of the company and consecrated its office.
