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EASTER 2013

Schedule for Services

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Collection of donations for raising churches in Thailand

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SUPPORT LOCAL SEMINARIANS

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09 March 2013

Construction of new St. Nicholas Church in Bangkok

Archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin), Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, visited construction site of the new church being built in Bangkok on Sukhumvit Road Soi 101/1, to see its current progress. The foundation of the building is now almost finished and workers have begun raising concrete support structures. According to the head of the building party, 25 people are currently working on church building's construction. The labor does not stop at weekends, to catch up for two weeks' delay caused by recent heavy rains in Kingdom's capital.

Archimadrite Oleg appreciated the construction progress and gave permission to the Foundation of the Orthodox Church in Thailand to set financial rewards for best workers on the construction.

Construction of St.Nicholas church in progress (March 2013)

06 March 2013

Blessing of the airplane and office of «LEGACY air» company.

At the request of the key personnel of «LEGACY air» company, archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin), Represen­tative of Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, visited U-Tapao airport 40 km from Pattaya and performed a blessing rite on company's new airplane as well as its office facility. On March 11 «LEGACY air» is expected to launch a new popular rout between tourist center Pattaya and Siem Reap in Cambodia, the location of Ankgor Wat, a famous historical and cultural monument.

It was also agreed that the company will give a 30 to 50% discount on all of their flights for priests working in South-East Asia as well as other Orthodox Church servants that travel on clerical business in the region.

Archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin with «LEGACY air» executives at U-Tapao Airport)

04 March 2013

Church-wide Orthodox meeting took place in Thailand.

The meeting was held in All Saints' parish in Patthaya by the blessing of archbishop Mark, Head of the Department for Foreign Institutions of Russian Orthodox Church. The meeting was attended by:

• Clergy and church staff currently serving in the Kingdom
• Members of the Committee of the Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation
• Representatives of the Orthodox parish councils from Thailand and Cambodia
• Chosen delegates from parishes (2 persons from each)

The Conference was also attended by Alexey Falunin, a vice-consul of Russian Federation in Thailand.

Church-wide Orthodox meeting in Thailand. Archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin) making his report.

The agenda included following reports:

1. Results of the work of Orthodox Church in Thailand by archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin), Representative of Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand.
2. Results of the work of Foundation of the Orthodox Church in Thailand by priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna, a Chairman of the Foundation.
3. On current state of Trinity parish on Phuket island, by priest Alexey Golovin.
4. On current state of All Saints' parish in Pattaya, by priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna.
5. On current state of St. Nicholas parish in Bangkok, by Michel de Valerie, Deputy Chairman of St. Nicholas parish.
6. On current state of Ascension parish on Samui island, by O. Voronov, member of parish council.
7. On current state of Dormition monastery in Ratchaburi, by archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin).
8. On current state of Orthodox parishes in Cambodia: St. George parish of Phnom Penh by S.A. Stepanov (Chairman of parish council) and St. Panteleimon parish of Sihanoukville by M. Yu. Ryumshin (Chairman of parish council).
9. Discussion of current problems of Orthodox Church in Thailand by several contributors.
10. Reviewing 2013 Development Program for Orthodox Church in Thailand and Presenting it to the Church Authority by archimadrite Oleg (Cherepanin).

Each of the talks lead to constructive discussions and decisions. Attendees agreed that general state and tendencies of Orthodoxy in Thailand are positive.

Participants of the Church-wide Orthodox meeting in All Saint's Church in Pattaya.

03 March 2013

Pastoral meeting of Orthodox clergy took place in Thailand

The meeting was held in All Saints' parish in Pattaya (Chonburi province), in preparation for upcoming Orthodox Church in Thailand meeting in Thailand.

The participants were:

• Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), Representative of Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, rector of St. Nicholas parish in Bangkok.
• Priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna, Chairman of Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation, acting priest of All Saint's Church in Pattaya.
• Priests Alexey Golovin and Roman Bychkov, serving in Thailand's southern provinces of Phuket (Trinity Church) and Suratthani (Ascension Church on Samui island).

Participants discussed ways to improve pastoral work in Thailand and Cambodia, perspectives of growth for Orthodoxy in near and far future and some current problems, such as lack of church ministers: choirmasters, singers and psalm-readers.

Clerics made suggestions for solving the issues. The results of the meeting will be used during the Church-wide meeting and also sent for consideration to the Hierarchy of Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

In the photo: Orthodox clergy serving in Thailand.

14 February 2013

The consecration of domes of the Holy Ascension church in Samui.

The domes were consecrated and installed in the Holy Ascension church in Samui, Surat Thani province. With the blessing from archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), the Representative of Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, eight domes with crosses for the temple and the bell tower were consecrated by the priest Alexei Golovin, a cleric of the Trinity Church in Phuket. After the consecration the ascending and fastening of the domes have began. The full completion of the construction work is planned at the end of May 2013.

In the photo: The blessing of domes and crosses in the Holy Ascension church in Samui.

10 February 2013

Cambodian citizen converted into Orthodox Christianity.

Before the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas church in Bangkok the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) performed the rite of accession to the Orthodox Church of a Cambodian citizen Bunthorng Shu, former Lutheran. Bunthorng Shu got his Orthodox name Gerasimus in honor of st. Gerasimus of Boldin.

To become an Orthodox Christian Bunthorng Shu had to deny Protestanism and go through the Holy Orthodox Confirmation. During the Divine Liturgy a new Orthodox Church Christian participated in Holy Eucharist. Other members of Church heartily congratulated a newly converted and presented him an icon of the Savior.

In the photo: Cambodian Bunthorng Shu, in Orthodoxy - Gerasimus.

01 February 2013

The Day of enthronement of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Today is a fourth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Primate of Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch ministry is a very demanding job since it involves enormous responsibility before God for millions of Russian Orthodox believers. Such a duty is above the human abilities and strength and it would not be possible to be performed without graceful God’s help and support.

In the recent years much have been done under the guidance of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Major changes inside the Church and in the area of Church-governmental relations have been made for people’s benefit and human souls’ salvation.

The Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, the Foundation of Orthodox Church in Thailand, the Orthodox flock of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are heartily congratulating our Great Father Kirill, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and we are praying for him and sincerely wishing him steady and unending God’s help, good health and all the best for salvation.

His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

31 January 2013

The progress of construction work on Orthodox temples in Thailand.

The Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand held a meeting which reviewed the building progress on the Holy Ascension parish in Samui (Surat Thani Province), St. Nicholas temple in Bangkok and the Holy Protection church in Pattaya. The participants of the meeting included the Committee of Orthodox Church Foundation in Thailand and the managers of the construction company which is carrying out the building work. Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand, also attended the meeting.

The participants noted the intensity of work to complete the construction of the Holy Ascension church in Samui and the beginning of interior decoration inside the temple. Archimandrite Oleg reminded that Orthodox Christians from Samui and nearby islands hope to have the temple completed by the celebration of the Holy Ascension Day in 2013 and, therefore, more efforts should made to meet the expectations of the believers.

In the photo: The construction of the Holy Ascension church in Samui (January 2013).

While discussing the situation with the St. Nicholas Church in Bangkok where the construction is on the stage of finishing the foundation, the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Committee of Orthodox Church Foundation in Thailand have asked the builders to speed up the work. The necessity to build an earthquake-proof foundation and heavy rains are slowing down the construction. However, the participants of the meeting decided to approve previously agreed deadlines for St. Nicholas Church with the goal to perform the rite of consecration of the church and start regular divine services in December 2013. Priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna informed that the Foundation is performing tight control over the timing and quality of construction and reminded about the penalties specified in the contract for violation of the deadlines and poor quality of work.

The discussion on the Holy Protection church construction didn’t result in debates since the construction of the temple is carried out on time and funded by Thai counterparts. Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) expressed his sincere gratitude to the leadership of the company «Dusit Pattaya Lake» for their decision to cover expenses for temple’s interior construction work while this work is specified by the contract to be paid by Orthodox Church Foundation in Thailand. It is estimated that the temple will be fully completed and ready for the rite of consecration in 2-3 months.

29 January 2013

Orthodox Christian delegation attended the meeting "Pattaya Community Safety" at the City Hall in Pattaya.

Being invited by the Royal Thai Police Headquarters and Pattaya City Administration, the Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) and the Chairman of the Committee of Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation the acting priest of All Saints church in Pattaya priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna have attended the organizational meeting «Pattaya Community Safety» which was held in Pattaya City-Hall. There were participants from Thai Police Headquarters, Pattaya Administration and the representatives of foreign communities living in Pattaya. Russian community was presented by Mr. Victor Kriventsov, the Deputy Honorary Consul of Russian Federation in the Chonburi/Rayong provinces and prominent Russian businessmen.

In the photo: Meeting on Pattaya Community Safety at the Pattaya City-Hall.

The meeting was lead by the Office of the Royal Thai Police: by the Head of the Criminal Investigation Police in Thailand Pol. Maj. Gen. Supisarn Bhakdinarinath and the Head of the Central Investigative Bureau of Thailand Pol. Lt. Gen. Pongpat Chayapun.

The Mayor of Pattaya, Mr. Ithiphol Khunplume, welcomed the audience. Then the participants listened to the report presented by the police leadership regarding the crime situation in Pattaya, which is Thailand's main resort visited by 8.5 million tourists annually. The presenter assured that the police is able to prevent the crime growth in Pattaya. Thai police plans to establish a permanent representative office of Consumer Protection Committee which is a department within police structure in Thailand. This committee will help to prevent the cases of real estate investors’ cheating in Pattaya. Thai officials are also planning to upgrade the technical equipment of Pattaya Police department.

Pattaya’ Mayor Mr. Ithiphol Khunplume told the audience that special attention paid by Thai police department to Pattaya problems has already resulted in the crime decline in the city. After the presentations the participants split into four working groups to discuss specific questions.

Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) spent some time with the Mayor of Pattaya, Mr. Ithiphol Khunplume, discussing a number of issues of interest to the Orthodox community of the resort. As always, Mr. Ithiphol Khunplume kindly listened to the problematic issues of Orthodox believers and promised positive solutions on a number of them without a delay.

28 January 2013

The statement from Orthodox Church in Thailand regarding the recent the provocation in the media.

Representation of The Russian Orthodox Church
(Moscow Patriarchate) in The Kingdom of Thailand

***
19 Sukhothai Soi 3, Sukhothai Road,
Dusit, 10300, Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand.
Tel.+(66) 81-7325021

Thai and Russian media have recently published an «interview» with «hegumen Tikhon, a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand,» in which the statement was made about the beginning of «the Russian Orthodox Church expansion,» plans «to convert 20-25% of local population into Orthodoxy by 2025», about the «opening of an additional 74 parishes in Thailand» and etc. In connection to this publications the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand declares:

The above-mentioned «hegumen Tikhon’ interview» publication is irresponsible and disgraceful provocation. There is no «hegumen Tikhon, a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church» in Thailand. An official representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kingdom of Thailand is archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) who was giving this authority by the decision of Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Decree of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The plans announced in the «interview» are nonsense and do not have any real grounds. Moreover, these statements are damaging inter-religious relationship in Thailand.

The Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand regrets that these lies which were initially published in a barely known Russian internet edition in Pattaya were later republished in many other media sources. Therefore, the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand appointed priest Danai (Daniel) Wanna who is an acting arch-priest of the Orthodox Church of All Saints in Pattaya and the Chairman of the Committee of Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation to file a lawsuit to the law enforcement authorities of the Kingdom to determine the guilty persons and to take against them appropriate legal actions.