On May 25, 2024, a congress of the Sisters of Mercy of the Tatarstan Metropolis was held in Kazan. It was attended by sisters of mercy, volunteers, clergy of 13 sister communities of Kazan, Chistopol and Almetyevskaya dioceses. The congress began with the Divine Liturgy in the church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ at the Kazan diocesan administration. The service was led by Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan. Before the Liturgy, he ordained 53 sisters of mercy and candidates for sisters of mercy.
After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Kirill congratulated the Nikolsky Sisterhood of Mercy of Kazan on its 15th anniversary and presented church awards to the sisters who have been serving their neighbors in Tatarstan for many years. Diocesan medals and letters of thanks received 22 sisters of mercy from Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny, Elabuga, Almetyevsk, Alekseevsky.
«To all of you, dear sisters of mercy, I wish God's help in preaching the Holy Gospel, in carrying sincere and selfless labor, aimed at helping the sick and unfortunate people. All the kindest and most blessed to you», — wished you Metropolitan Kirill.
Metropolitan Kirill.
The participants of the congress discussed topical issues of nursing ministry and shared their experience.
Participants of the congress discussed topical issues of nursing ministry and shared their experience.
In the course of the congress, Olga Varganova, head of the service for the needy of the Kazan diocese «Miloserdiye — Kazan» expressed gratitude to the sisters and volunteers who traveled to Donetsk and Severodonetsk to help the needy and cared for the wounded in the hospital in Rostov-on-Don.
At the congress, Olga Varganova expressed gratitude to the sisters and volunteers who traveled to Donetsk and Severodonetsk to help the needy and cared for the wounded in the hospital in Rostov-on-Don.
«This year has been very fruitful for the sororities of our Metropolis, three new sororities were formed at once: in Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny and Mamadysh. However, I would like to say something about the ministry in the conflict zone. Throughout the year the Sisters of Mercy traveled to care for the wounded in the hospital in Rostov-on-Don. The Sisters of Mercy helped in Donetsk and Severodonetsk. This is a selfless work, not everyone is ready for it, but this is mercy, this is love for your neighbor», — noted Olga Varganova.
The representatives of the sororities were given icons of the Last Supper» and «Jesus Christ with children» as a memento.
«We are grateful for the experience shared by each sisterhood, and some have been in existence for 10-15 years. For us, as a young sisterhood, this is very important. It is a model of how to serve and not to burn out, and to keep burning. At the congress we saw the community of one great and good cause. People who think in the same direction, in the direction of mercy and love, gathered together. We are all — a large and friendly family. This integrity inspires», — shared his impressions clergyman of the Pokrovsky Sisterhood Archpriest Alexander Pavlov.
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Today there are more than 900 sororities of mercy in Russia and other countries. In 2010, on the initiative of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry, the Association of Sisters of Charity was established. Sisters of Mercy provide care for seriously ill people in medical and social institutions and at home. Sisterhoods create houses of mercy and almshouses — centers of round-the-clock care for seriously ill people. Today there are more than 50 such institutions in the Church.
News and stories about the Church's social ministry are published in Telegram channel «Church Affairs» and «Church Affairs. Briefly», «Aid to Refugees» and in the group of the Synodal Department for Charity in VK, OK, on Youtube channel.
You can help refugees and affected civilians at helpvbede.rf. You can support church social projects on the online platform of the Synodal Department for Charity «Let's Help».
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