On January 23-27, 2024, a snow cyclone raged on Sakhalin. Air and sea routes were interrupted, and the region was cut off from the outside world. Many highways were closed to traffic, trains and passenger buses were stopped, there was no electricity in a number of settlements, and businesses did not work. In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk there was no public transportation. To help those affected by the cyclone, Sakhalin's EMERCOM units, police, medics, volunteers, and owners of off-road vehicles united. With the blessing of Archbishop Nicanor of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kuril, the social department of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk diocese also joined in this work, reports Patriarchy.ru.
"Cyclones visit Sakhalin in winter and early spring, they always bring a lot of snow. But such a snowstorm as this one has not happened for many years. It is also unusual that this was the third cyclone in a month," said Archpriest Maxim Lobanovsky, head of the social department of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk diocese. - We called the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the police and offered our help. We made sure that the situation was under state control. I must say that the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other services on Sakhalin work very well. And our main task is to provide spiritual support both to those who are eliminating the consequences of the cyclone and to those who are trapped in the snow.
Since the first days of the cyclone, Father Maxim has also been calling The parishioners of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, especially the elderly and infirm, to find out what they needed. As soon as the snowfall subsided a bit, he bought bread, water, bananas, cookies, and other products at the grocery store and went to those in need of help.
"Along with me went priest Alexis Kuts'ko. Everything is marked, and it would have been hard to get through alone. For the whole day we were able to visit only four people, because we had to move on foot. All the cars were covered with snow. We do not make special lists of those in need, but we have a diocesan Orthodox group in social networks, where I wrote that I could come if necessary," said Father Maxim.
Priests not only brought basic necessities to the needy, but also answered questions and helped solve everyday difficulties.
"One of the parishioners said that she has a laptop, but she does not know how to connect it to the Internet. She lives alone, and it would be a comfort to her. Fr. Alexis helped her access the Internet and later promised to come back and give her a computer lesson. Another parishioner we helped to enter her personal account in "Megaphone" on her phone. It seemed like a small thing, but this information was useful for her," Father Maxim added.
It is noteworthy that services in the Resurrection Cathedral in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk were held continuously. They canceled only the evening service on January 25 and the Liturgy on January 26, when the church could not be accessed.
"Before January 23 there was a warning, we knew about the approaching cyclone. Therefore, several believers stayed overnight in the hotel at the spiritual and educational center on the territory of our cathedral. Four priests, a regent, two temple staff members, and three parishioners spent several days there without leaving the temple grounds," said Hieromonk Apollinarius (Obukhov), secretary of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Diocese and rector of the Resurrection Cathedral in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
At present, life on the island is gradually normalizing. The emergency regime in Sakhalin Oblast was lifted on January 29.
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