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22 October 2011

APPEAL OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THAILAND ARCHIMANDRITE OLEG (CHEREPANIN) ON THE FLOOD SITUATION IN THAILAND

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Christ, compatriots,
all people of good will living in Thailand
and all others in other countries whose hearts accommodate the whole world, I address to you!

Currently Thailand is amidst the worst flood for the last 50 years. Sixty out of 77 provinces have already suffered from flooding. The overall number of flood victims is estimated as many as 8.2 million people. The economic damage has exceeded 2 billion US dollars. The situation continues aggrevating. This is now the national disaster.

Besides the direct damage both to the state and people, i.e. house destructions, the destroying of rice seeds etc, the tourist season is under disruption now as the foreign affairs agencies of almost all countries declared that it was dangerous for their citizens to trip to Thailand. Owing to the destroying of rice seeds, the rice prices are expected to increase by 10-19% both in Thailand and external markets. Already now the net-shops are suffering shortages. There is almost no drinking water.

The situation is close to panic as the authorities declared that it was impossible to hold the water level in the Chaopraya river, thus, letting the northern areas of Bangkok be inundated in order to avert destruction of the dams on the basic directions. Ten percent of Bangkok's territory is expected to be flooded. Yet, there are concerns that up to 50 percent of Bangkok may be inundated. The anticipated level of inundation is up to 1.20 m.(3'9 feet). The population of the areas that are to be inundated are recommended to leave their places. Above all, November will see the beginning of so called «cool» season in Thailand when temperatures usually start decreasing. That will be enough to entail hypothermia of locals. The epidemiological situation is still unclear in the areas of disaster.

The disaster has united the nation, but the damage inflicted by nature is tremendous.

We are especially concerned that the misfortune befalling Thailand can be exploited for political interests. We can already hear blames on the Government from the opposition for the mismanagement of the situation. All the more so as it is dangerous as the political stability has been just reached at the cost of violent confrontation between the antagonistic political fractions. The time of common calamity can not be a pretext for the political struggle.

In this situation we can not and have no other right but to demonstrate our sympathy as to help the victims of the disaster.

I urge you to make the very generous donations for the needs of the flood victims. Watching you almsgiving, may God Almighty grant us, sinners, mercy as well.

For believers it is enough to know the commandment of our Savior on love to a neighbor in order to have no doubt in the necessity to show benevolence.

I also urge those who do not share our religious believes to do mercy helping the flood victims on the grounds of humanism, fairness and gratitude to the country and people amid who we live and whose hospitality we can feel.

These days many are saying to me that they want to be sure that their donations will reach those in need. They asked to organize the targeted aid for the sufferers. That is the reason why the Fund Committee of the Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand after considering the situation made the decision to start fund-raising and take care of targeted aid.

Certainly, the bulk of our assistance in the common flow is quite marginal, but we are doing our best.

I bless to start fund-raising for the needs of the flood victims in all the parishes of our Church in Thailand, to set up ecclesiastical concerts of our church choirs in all resort cities right in the streets simultaneously fund-raising for the needs of sufferers.

I also assign the heads of the parish councils to meet with the heads of communities in order to know specific families that are highly in need of the assistance. I assign to visit those families and hand over the part of received aid based upon the number of family members and the degree of their needs.

I am afraid that this programme may take quite a long time. But we must be firm in our benefaction for the sake of Jesus Christ.

If the amount of donations turns out to be significant, I bless priest Danai (Daniel) Vanna to start consultations with the National Staff on combating the implications of flooding in order to find out the needs of people more specifically. I suppose that in that case we will have to purchase, in the first place, provisions, warm clothes and blankets, drugs, and perhaps, construction materials.

As well, I assign to provide transparency of donations and their spending for the charity purposes and inform you on the financial situation on the official web-site of the Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand www.orthodox.or.th.

May we remember the words from the Holy Bible: «For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy!» (James 2,13).

Sincerely praying for all of you,
archimandrite Oleg

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12 August 2011

Holy Dormition of Mother of God.

Holy Dormition of Mother of God
28 August 2011, Sunday

The festive service of Holy Dormition of Mother of God will be conducted in Holy Dormition monastery in Ratchaburi province. The Divine Liturgy will start at 09.00 morning. There will be free transportation arranged for pilgrims from Pattaya and Bangkok.

The bus from Bangkok will depart at 06.00 morning from Saint Nicholas' chapel. Leaving from monastery - after the service. Estimated time of arrival back to Bangkok - 15.00.

The bus from Pattaya will depart at 06.00 morning from All Saints church (Naklua, Soi 16). Estimated time of arrival back to Pattaya 16.00 - 16.30.

31 July 2011

Memorial for the dead in Ukraine.

After the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Chapel in Bangkok, he Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) with concelebrating clergy served ​​a memorial service for the miners killed in a mine explosion at "Sukhodolskaya-Eastern". Expressing condolences to his flock, many of whom are citizens of Ukraine, archimandrite Oleg said that "no matter how sad these days are, you need to pass with dignity and faith through this tragedy, praying for the repose of the dead and begging the Lord for deliverance for those left under the rubble and wounded in hospital." On behalf of the Orthodox flock in Thailand a letter of condolence was sent to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Thailand Mr. M. Chuchuk.

29 July 2011

The results of the church activities in Thailand for 2010.

In the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand a meeting was held to sum up the church activities in Thailand for 2010. Attending the meeting were members of the Foundation Committee of the Orthodox Church in Thailand and representatives of the parish councils of parishes in Thailand. The meeting heard and approved the report provided by the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, and also agreed with the projected activities of the Orthodox Church in the country in 2011.

28 July 2011

Working visit by archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) on Phuket.

The Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), accompanied by his assistant Ivan Moroz paid a working visit to Phuket, where he familiarized himself with the construction of the temple in honor of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity and holding a meeting with the parish council. Archimandrite Oleg stated the exterior of the temple and most of the interior decorating has been completed. However, he noted some deficiencies, blessed to be corrected in the near future. After a discussion of current issues with the parish council, it was decided to start the landscaping and construction of a parish house for the future priest. The chairman of the parish council of Holy Trinity Church Mariya Batura notified that the increased recent donations for this purpose allow the construction to begin.

Father Oleg informed the congregation about the upcoming archpastoral visit to Phuket in November 2011 of His Eminence archbishop Mark of Yegorievsk, the Head of the Department of Moscow Patriarchate for Foreign Institutions. He, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, will perform the consecration of the temple. The parish council will prepare for the Phuket visit. Following discussion, M. Batura on behalf of the parish council organized a lunch for the participants. On the same day in the evening, archimandrite Oleg returned to Bangkok.

In the photo: Holy Trinity Church in Phuket (28.07.2011).	In the photo: Interior work of the temple.

25 July 2011

Condolences for the tragedy in Norway.

The tragedy in Norway happened where extremists bombed near government buildings in Oslo and the shot of members of a youth camp on an island near the Norwegian capital, killing more than 90 people. The Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) sent a letter of condolence to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway in Thailand HE Ms. Katja Christina Nordgaard, in which, he expressed his sympathy on behalf of all Orthodox Christians in Thailand and called the survivors to be courageous.

22 July 2011

In Thailand the new assistant to the Representative of Russian Orthodox Church, Ivan Moroz arrived.

With the blessing of the Government of Russian Orthodox Church, to carry the ecclesiastical obedience of assistant to the Representative of Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand and a consultant to the Foundation Committee of the Orthodox Church in Thailand Ivan Moroz arrived in Bangkok. Ivan is a graduate of Belgorod Seminary (missionary orientation) being a citizen of Ukraine.

Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) introduced a new assistant to the Orthodox parishes in Bangkok and Pattaya, defining his terms of immediate responsibilities.

In the photo: Ivan Moroz, an assistant to the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand.

Reference: Ivan Moroz was born in 1988 to the family of a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church (MP) in Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region in Ukraine. Has an older brother and sister. In 2004-2006, he was a student at Chernigov Theological School. In 2006 he entered, and in 2011 completed a full course of study in the Belgorod Seminary. While studying in religious schools he carried the obedience of chanter, assistant to the acting rector and class president. In 2010, archbishop John (Popov) of Belgorod and Stary Oskol tonsured Ivan a reader.

21 July 2011

Charity project of the Orthodox Church in Thailand for poor families in the province of Ratchaburi.

The Foundation Committee of the Orthodox Church in Thailand held a session in the Holy Dormition Monastery in Ratchaburi province, where on site they examined the formal request of the village to assist in the construction of two houses for poor families on public land. It was decided to allocate 160,000 Thai baht, inviting legal counsel of the Orthodox Church in Thailand to explore the possibility of controlling the allocated to the local administration monies by the Foundation.

21 July 2011

Orthodox Church in Thailand approved educational grants in 2011.

The Foundation Committee of the Orthodox Church in Thailand met to consider the allocation of educational grants for low-income students at Technological College in Prachinburi province in 2011. Committee members read the request of the college administration and approved the proposed list of grant recipients. Chairman of the Foundation Committee was asked to prepare a presentation ceremony of the educational grants.

21 July 2011

The parishes of the Orthodox Church in Thailand were visited by representatives of the Coptic Church.

Orthodox parishes in Pattaya and Bangkok welcomed a group of believers from the Coptic (Oriental) Church, Diocese of Australia, headed by the priest, V. Rev. Youhanna Bestawros.

In the photo: Various issues of joint social activities of the Coptic and Orthodox Churches in Thailand were discussed.

The purpose of the visit was to establish cooperation with the Orthodox Church in Thailand (Moscow Patriarchate) in the field of education and specifically the possibility of opening secondary schools under the auspices of the Orthodox Orthodox Church in Thailand. With the blessing of the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), the proposals of the Coptic believers were discussed by: priest Daniel Wanna - Chairman of the Committee of the Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation (financial aspects), hierodeacon Seraphim (Raicea) (religious aspect), Dr. Vladimir Buntilov - assistant to the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand and professor at Mahidol University in Bangkok (educational aspect), and Ivan Moroz – an asssistant to the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church. As noted by the Orthodox party, the task of the Church, above all, is to lead people to salvation. Conducting a social activity with groups who do not share the same principle belief with the Orthodox Church in Thailand would be problematic, especially in the case of schools teaching faith. At the end of two days of talks it was determined to continue the dialogue with the representatives of the Coptic Church on the subject and also notify the Department for Foreign Institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In conclusion, archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) expressed full support to the Coptic Church, currently experiencing significant harassment from the Islamic majority in Egypt and gave his visitors an icon of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of the Orthodox believers in Thailand, also revered by Copts.