Menu:

• Main page
• News
• Our Parishes
• What is Orthodoxy
• Donations
• Church Government
• Education
• Documents
• Literature
• About Thailand
• Archive

Collection of donations for raising churches in Thailand

Details...

SUPPORT LOCAL SEMINARIANS

Details...

07 January 2009

CHRISTMAS

On the night of January the 7th, 2009 there was a festive Christmas divine service at of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Mira in Lycia chapel in Bangkok. The divine service was conducted by hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin), dean of the parish, with the assistance of deacon Daniel Wanna. During the Christmas service about 200 people were praying, some of them had come from Pattaya specifically on that occasion. About 50 people confessed and took communion during Liturgy. After reading the Gospel hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) announced the Christmas message from Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill, after which wishes for long life of His Eminence were expressed in singing. Christmas service was conducted in Old Church Slavonic and in Thai.

On January the 7th at 5.00 PM (local time) more than 50 people came to attend the great vespers. Next, a Christmas show for parishioners' children was organized. After the show, during which the children performed Christmas carol, everyone received presents, and a Christmas festive dinner followed.

Photo: During the Divine Service in Bangkok	Photo: Many people had to pray outside the chapel
Photo: Communion during the Christmas Liturgy.

06 January 2009

Christmas Paramony.

Traditionally, the divine service on Christmas eve in Thailand has been conducted at parish in the name of all saints in Pattaya (Chonburi province). As currently there is no Orthodox chapel in Pattaya, the place for divine service was kindly offered by Mrs. Panga Vathanakul, hostess of the famous «Royal Cliff» hotel, who is also the Honorary Consul of Russia in Chonburi and Rayong provinces. The direct organization of the festive service was taken care of by the hotel manager Mr. Victor Kriventsov. The «Royal Cliff» hotel always offers its best rooms for festive Orthodox divine service, and most of the guests are from Russia and CIS.

The divine service on Christmas Eve was conducted by The Representative of Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in the Kingdom of Thailand hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) with the assistance of deacon Daniel Wanna, cliric of St. Nicholas' Chapel in Bangkok. About 100 people prayed during the service. That was considered much less than usual because the number of tourists in Thailand had decreased due to the world financial crisis and unstable political situation in the country.

After the divine service hegumen Oleg had a meeting with the members of parish council and the parishioners of All-Saints parish of Pattaya, and the question of land purchase by Orthodox Church in Thailand (Moscow Patriarchate) and chapel construction in Pattaya was discussed. As a result of the meeting, these questions were considered to be dealt with immediately and entrusted to Chairman of the Orthodox Church in Thailand Committee deacon Daniel Wanna.

This year all Orthodox believers of Pattaya who wanted to attend Christmas night service in Bangkok were offered as a present comfortable buses by the company «Russian Home»; the buses brought them to the chapel and then back to Pattaya. Representation of Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand expressed sincere gratitude to the company «Russian Home» for the care they showed to fellow countrymen.

In the picture: the divine service on Christmas eve in Pattaya (Chonburi province)

02 January 2009

Bangkok: tragedy at one of night clubs at New Year's night.

In the nighttime (December 31st, 2008 - January 1, 2009) a tragedy took place in Bangkok. One of the night clubs, where about thousand young people gathered to meet the new year, caught fire. Because of lack of oxygen and fire 61 people died, 243 received injuries and were hospitalized. According to the information from royal police, the cause of the accident was fireworks ignition in the building. On January the 1st Prime Minister of Thailand Aphisit Vetchachiwa visited the place of tragedy. Among the dead were some foreigners. According to Russian Federation's Embassy in Thailand, there were no Russian victims in the accident. On the orders of Thai government a help center for the injured was opened and identification of dead bodies was started.

During the divine service at St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Mira in Lycia Chapel in Bangkok Orthodox believers stood a minute's silence in the memory of the victims.

In the picture: «Santica» night club in Bangkok after the fire. (from Farang.ru)

29 December 2008

Service schedule for Christmas.

06 January. Tuesday. Christmas Eve.
The service will be held in Pattaya in Royal Cliff hotel at 18.00

The night from 6th to 7th (from Tuesday to Wednesday)
THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The sevice will be held in Bangkok in St. Nichoilas' chapel at 23.00

07 January. Christmas.
Evening service will be held in Bangkok in St. Nicholas' chapel at 17.00

26 December 2008

A well-known Orthodox scholar of religion Prof. Maximov has been to Thailand on working visit.

A well-known Orthodox scholar of religion Prof. Yuri Valerievich Maximov visited Thailand during his business trip that lasted from 16th to 26th of December 2008.

The goal of Prof. Maximov's visit to Thailand was getting acquainted with the current state of Orthodox mission in the Kingdom and assisting its activation. In this respect, by the blessing of Representative of Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin), Prof. Maximov participated in divine service at St. Nicholas' Chapel in Bangkok, met with Orthodox believers on Phuket at Holy Life-Giving Trinity parish, and in Pattaya at the parish of All Saints, where he took part in the discussion of church projects in Thailand. Apart from that, Prof. Maximov had a number of meetings with local parishioners. In Bangkok he told Orthodox believers about Orthodox mission's state in the world, on Phuket - about the current position of Russian Orthodox Church, in Pattaya - about Orthodox religion's attitude to Buddhism. During his meeting with Russian Orthodox Church Representative in Thailand hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) and Chairman of the Orthodox Church in Thailand Committee deacon Daniel Wanna an agreement was reached on carrying out some joint projects.

Reference: Prof. Yuri Valerievich Maximov, Orthodox scholar of religion, tutor at Moscow theological academy, member of synodal workgroup on Russian Orthodox Church's inter-religious relationships concept compilation, participant of a number of international conferences, author of four monographs (Saints of Orthodox Church converted from Islam. M., 2002.; Saint fathers about Islam. M., 2003; Religion of cross and religion of crescent. M., 2004; Orthodox study of religion: Islam, Buddhism, Judaism. M., 2005) and more than 70 articles on patristics, Islam studies, theology, Church history, hagiography, history of Byzantium, study of the motion picture art and other (see http://www.mpda.ru/ru/school/basic/teachers/index.php?from=3&id=83&i=69 for the full list). Certain books and articles of Prof. Maximov were translated and published in English, German, Georgian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Macedonian.

20 December 2008

Russian Orthodox Church Representative in Thailand hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) visited the island of Phuket.

Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Representative in Thailand hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) visited the island of Phuket where he met the members of parish in the name of Holy Trinity. Fr. Oleg informed the parishioners about acquiring a land property certificate and the permission of chapel construction issued by local government. On this occasion there was a detailed discussion of the construction necessity and maintaining the divine-serving life of the parish. It was agreed that in January 2009 the parish council would conduct soil analysis, work out a communication establishment project and start the crush-rock pad in the area to prevent it from flooding during seasonal tropical rains. For the speedy beginning of regular divine service on Phuket it was decided to take into account the opportunity to build a temporary wooden chapel while dealing with regular chapel construction.

19 December 2008

Patronal feast at St. Nicholas' Chapel in Bangkok.

Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Representation in the Kingdom of Thailand, Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation Committee cordially congratulates all the parishioners of the chapel on this day. May Lord the Merciful protect everyone in peace and harmony by the prayers of His Saint Nicholas Wonder-Worker.

15 December 2008

A reply was received from the Royal Palace.

As a response to congratulating His Majesty King of Thailand Phumiphon Adulyadet (Rama IX the Great) on the occasion of his 81st birthday on behalf of Russian Orthodox Church and Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation, Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand received the following reply letter:

(image of Garuda)

№ 0002. 4/232315
His Majesty's
General Secretary's office
Grand Palace, Bangkok, 10200.
December 11, year 2551 in Buddhist Era (2008)

Dear father (Reverend) Oleg,

I'm writing in connection with your letter dated December the 5th, 2008, in which greetings are expressed to His Majesty on the occasion of His Majesty's birthday on December the 5th, 2008.

The letter mentioned above was brought to His Majesty's notice, and I would like to convey to you and all the members or Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand a heartfelt royal gratitude for the gesture of goodwill displayed on this occasion.

Yours sincerely,
( s i g n a t u r e )

(Mr. Chittrapat Krairiksh)
Acting His Majesty's General Personal Secretary

To His Reverence,
Hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin),
Russian Orthodox Church Representative
(Moscow Patriarchate)
in the Kingdom of Thailand

19 Sukhothai Soi 3,
Sukhothai st,
Dusit,
Bangkok 10300

13 December 2008

A memorial service was conducted on the 9th day since the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II had deceased.

On the 9th day since Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II had deceased, after the Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas' Chapel in Bangkok a memorial service for the deceased was conducted. The service was conducted by the dean hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin), assisted by the cleric of the chapel deacon Daniel Wanna. Among the many believers who came to the chapel in the memory of the deceased were Representatives of Russian Embassy in Thailand. The service ended with the choral singing of "Immortal memory" for the deceased Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II.

Representation of Russian Orthodox Church during those days.

12 December 2008

A Certificate of land ownership on Phuket island was issued to the Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation.

In the land department of Talang district on Phuket there was a presentation of the Certificate of land ownership to the Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation. The documents were received by the Chairman of the Foundation Committee deacon Daniel Wanna.

In June 2008 a decision was made to purchase a parcel of land and to build a chapel and a cultural center on the island of Phuket. Thanks to generosity of local Orthodox believers from the parish in the name of Holy Trinity, the parcel was finally purchased. However Thailand's legislation provides for a certain procedure of land acquisition for religious purposes. Resolutions of various administrative committees were required, as well as numerous Chairman of the Orthodox Church in Thailand Committee deacon Daniel Wanna's meetings with local and provincial authorities, and the resolution of the Governor of the Phuket province, so that the deal of land purchase would be considered legal. At present, the Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation Committee intends to discuss the plans of the upcoming construction works.