Mariupol, July 11, 2024
Photo: diaconia.ru
On July 10, 2024, the opening of a church assistance center took place in Mariupol. Acting Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service and the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission, Archpriest Mikhail Potokin, conducted a prayer service and consecrated the center’s premises. The center will coordinate targeted social assistance in Mariupol and the work of church volunteers. The consecration was attended by Mariupol priests: Archpriest Ioann Popov, rector of the Holy Trinity Church; Archpriest Mikhail Kosulin, rector of the Vladimir Church; and Archpriest Gavriil Agabekov, rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, reports Patriarchia.ru.
“Church assistance in Mariupol and other cities is currently organized within the framework of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission, blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia,” noted Archpriest Mikhail Potokin. “The main task of the new center is to provide targeted help to people. From our experience, we know that not only those who can come here themselves need help, but also those who cannot leave their homes—elderly people, severely ill individuals, and people with disabilities. Therefore, we have organized targeted assistance for such residents. Our volunteers will come to them and provide the necessary support.”
The staff and volunteers of the church center in Mariupol will provide targeted assistance to those in need. The center’s staff will help Mariupol residents with social benefit applications and offer legal support. They will also assist severely ill individuals in need of hospitalization in obtaining medical care, including at the Central Clinical Hospital of St. Alexis, which is under the aegis of the Russian Orthodox Church. Volunteer repair workers will help those in need with home repairs. The center will also distribute essential items such as bedding, kitchenware, medicine, food packages, clothing, and baby food.
Photo: diaconia.ru
The church assistance center will operate Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The new center will conduct its activities in cooperation with the Donetsk Diocese.
Church assistance for civilians in Mariupol has been ongoing since 2022. Staff from the Synodal Department for Charity, in collaboration with the church hospital of St. Alexis, organized a tent camp in one of the most affected areas of Mariupol, on Azovstal Street, in December 2022. Here, people in need can wash clothes, take a shower, and receive clothing, household items, and food. In the mobile hospital of the church hospital, local residents can consult a doctor. Since December 2022, the church center on Azovstal Street has received over 26,000 requests for assistance.
With the improvement in living conditions in Mariupol, including stable water supply and the full resumption of medical facilities, some functions of the tent camp became less necessary. It was decided to relocate the social center of the Russian Orthodox Church to a more accessible area for all residents of the city. The center’s staff will now focus on targeted assistance and primarily on social and legal issues.
Photo: diaconia.ru
The majority of the new center’s personnel are volunteers. They come for shifts of 7–10 days from all over the country. More than 2,000 volunteers have already participated in the Church’s social service in the conflict zone.
The church assistance center was established by the Synodal Department for Charity. The Russian Orthodox Church organizes assistance for affected civilians in Severodonetsk, Belgorod, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Berdyansk, Lysychansk, Donetsk, and other cities. Over 200,000 requests have been received since March 2022.
