His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia blessed the establishment of the diocesan Medal of Merit and the Episcopal Diploma of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia of the Russian Orthodox Church. Medal of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia of the Russian Orthodox Church “For Merits” was established in accordance with the definition of the Holy Synod of May 27, 2009 (Journal No. 43, item 3) and on the basis of the resolution of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia of February 18, 2022. The medal “For Merits” is a form of encouragement for clergymen, monastics and laity for their labors and services to Orthodoxy – in pastoral ministry, theological, scientific and administrative activities, the revival of spiritual life, the restoration of churches, missionary, charitable, social and educational works at the diocesan level. It will be awarded to clergymen, monastics and laypeople for their special contribution to the creation of church life in the diocese. The medal has three degrees. Each copy of it is decorated with an iconographic belt relief image of St. John, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco. In a semicircle, above the saint, there is an inscription made in English: “St. JOHN THE ABP. OF SHANGHAI and SAN FRANCISCO». Now the diocese will be awarded a special award in honor of the saint with the name associated with the beginning of the Orthodox mission in the Philippines. St. John has been staying on the island of Tubabao (Philippines) for 3 years since 1949. The International Organization for Refugees has appealed to the governments of a number of countries to provide temporary shelter to refugees, as well as Russian emigrants and persons of some other nationalities who have permanently resided in Shanghai. Only the Philippine Republic responded to this call, and allocated Tubabao Island for temporary settlement of refugees from Shanghai. The evacuation of refugees from Shanghai to Tubabao began in January 1949 and ended in early May of the same year. St. John himself arrived at the camp on Tubabao a few days before Easter in 1949, which became an event of exceptional importance in the spiritual life of the camp. By the resolution of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia dated February 18, 2022, the episcopal diploma of the diocesan bishop is also established for clergymen, monastics and lay people as a reward for their work for the glory of the Holy Church in the Philippine–Vietnamese Diocese.
