Divine Liturgy celebrated on Christmas Eve in Davao, Philippines
On the night of January 6-7, the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, at the Parish of Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Davao, Mindanao, diocesan secretary Hieromonk Korniliy (Molev) celebrated a series of Christmas services—Great Compline, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
The previous morning, January 6, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve), Priest Dimitri Kahilig and Priest Stefan Bingkal celebrated the Royal Hours, Great Vespers, and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at this parish. The priests then traveled to other parishes to celebrate Christmas services.
During the nighttime celebrations, Christmas messages from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Pavel of Manila and Hanoi, Administrator of the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam, were read.
For several years now, with the blessing of Bishop Paul, the service has been held in the courtyard of the missionary center, as the house church cannot accommodate all those wishing to attend.
Following the Liturgy, a shared festive meal, games, and competitions were organized. The faithful exchanged traditional gifts and continued to glorify the Christ Child with Christmas hymns and carols.
