On November 16, 2024, Acting Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry Archpriest Mikhail Potokin met with volunteers helping affected civilians in the conflict zone and refugees in Moscow.
The meeting was attended by more than 150 people — volunteers from different regions of Russia and participants of the social ministry internship.
The meeting was attended by more than 150 people — volunteers from different regions of Russia and participants of social ministry training, staff of the Synodal Department for Charity, priests and aid coordinators from Lugansk, Rovenkivska, Severodonetsk, Berdyansk, Skadivska, Novokakhivska, Gorlovka, and Donetsk dioceses. They spoke about their experience of helping civilians in the conflict zone. The meeting was preceded by Divine Liturgy in the church in honor of Saints Florus and Laurus on Zatsepe in Moscow.
«Volunteerism — this is the right way to God, — Archpriest Mikhail Potokin said at the meeting. — God sees that a person has lively interests, that he can help in some way — builds, helps children, the elderly, cares for the sick in hospitals, and through these activities brings him to himself.
In the course of the meeting, priests and aid coordinators from the dioceses of the conflict zone shared their experience of helping affected civilians. They thanked the Synodal Department for Charity, the Central Clinical Hospital of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, and volunteers for their support. Volunteers from Moscow and the Moscow region spoke about their trips to the towns of Donbass to help the victims.
More than 2,800 Orthodox volunteers have traveled to the war zone to care for hospital patients and provide social assistance to the victims. They are helping in Gorlovka, Makeyevka, Donetsk, Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Volnovakha, Berdyansk and other cities in Donbass.
On the helpvbede.rf website, you can help refugees and victims, as well as apply to become a volunteer of the Synod's Charity Department.
News and stories about the Church's social ministry are published in Telegram channel «Church Affairs» and in the groups 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».
.Diaconia.ru/Patriarchy.ru
