With the blessing of metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus’, Korniliy, the head of the Edifying Department of the Moscow Metropolitanate, father Michael Rodin, was sent to the Old-believers’ parishes of Pakistan.
On January 8, father Michael arrived at Lahore Airport (Pakistan), where he was met by father Cyril Shahzad. A few hours later, they arrived at the spiritual center of the Christians of Pakistan – the community of the city of Sargodha.
In the first few days, father Michael and father Cyril managed to translate the Old-believers’ morning and evening prayers into Urdu, the language spoken by most Christians in Pakistan. Also translated were the prayers before eating.
On the evening of the Holy Theophany, father Michael performed the Great Consecration of Water.
Father Michael brought with him to Pakistan many material donations, which were provided by generous Orthodox Christians from parishes in Russia and Australia. In particular, wearable crosses, hand mats used for ground bows, prayer ropes and wedding crowns were donated.
Sargodha is now actively building a new Old-Rite Orthodox church, for which permission to build was obtained from authorities in 2018. The church community asks anyone who would like to donate to the construction of the church in Pakistan, to please send donations to the Sberbank card 5469 5600 1016 0410. The message should include the word “donation”.
