THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AND THE BODILESS POWERS

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, on November 21, 2017, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel joyfully began with a moleben of thanksgiving, with festive Divine Liturgy.

On this feast special prayers are offered for the health and many blessed years of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia Shepherd of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, and First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Special prayers are also offered for peace in our families, in our local community, and in the world and in the suffering countries.

After the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Joseph delivered a sermon about the work and sacred responsibilities of the Holy Archangel Michael and the other bodiless Hosts of Heaven. Fr. Joseph told faithful that the Holy Archangel Michael is the head of the entire heavenly host, and explained about the protection of guardian angels for the human race. Fr. Joseph said that Angels were created as messengers of God. The Scriptures reveal that God created nine orders of angels: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, and Angels. The archangels are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel and Sariel.

Further Father Joseph told to the faithful about the works of Holy Archangel Michael. He said that Saint Michael the Archangel holding a sword in his right hand depicts that he crushed Lucifer, and the palm branch in his left hand signifies that he is the guardian of the Orthodox faith and a fighter against heresy. The Holy Archangel Michael, one of the highest angels, remains faithful to the Creator. Further,

Fr. Joseph told the faithful that we must follow the true traditions of holy Orthodoxy in our daily lives and always remain faithful to the Russian Orthodox Church, because these days holy Orthodoxy is being attacked from all sides by schismatic and heretic forces. We must condemn the forces of the devil, and follow the example of the holy archangel of God Michael and his entire heavenly host, who battle against dark forces.

Protection of Saint Michael the Archangel:

After the sermon the icon of St. Michael the Archangel was placed on the table and time was given to the faithful to light candles and humbly ask the help and protection in silence from St. Michael the Archangel for their families and the Orthodox faith.

Special Thanks to our Great and Loving Vladyka Hilarion:

At the completion of 5 years of the St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad for his blessings, encouragement and pastoral care.

Humble request

I humbly request you to help the mission through your kind donations and charity. ROCOR Church in Pakistan is moving ahead day by day! Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan needs your generous support for the construction of first Russian Orthodox Church in Pakistan as we are celebrating Divine Liturgy in tents, faithful homes and in open area.

Donate to the Mission

Funds are distributed from the ROCOR Fund For Assistance and directly distributed to the mission

Inauguration Ceremony of Saint Matrona Sewing Center Sargodha Pakistan

A Project of Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan

With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Saint Matrona Adult Education Center was started in March 2016. Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan is operating and administrating an adult education center for the uplift of poor women in Pakistan and with the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion,

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated on October 29, 2017, at Saint Matrona Adult Education Center for women in Pakistan.

The bright and shining morning of Sunday 29th October 2017 brought joy and success to the women group of Saint Matrona Adult Education and Sewing Center in Pakistan. With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, after the Divine Liturgy inauguration ceremony took place. During the inauguration ceremony special prayers were offered for the kind donors and Father Joseph extended the heartfelt thanks to generous donors for their kind charity and compassionate cooperation.

Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan leaves no stone unturned in the welfare of children and women in the society in its limited capacity and resources. The objective of the center is to provide help to Christian women by enabling them to learn the Sewing Skills to become independent by earning their livelihood.

Father Joseph with the blessings and under the kind protection of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion is doing a hard labor to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development. Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan has been encouraging young women, to read and write themselves and provide them awareness of Orthodox Christian family values and Orthodox Traditions.

Last year some 15 school dropout young girls and a few mothers have got admission at Saint Matrona Adult Education Center. Nasreen Fevronia wife of Arif John, mother of five, is the eldest student at the Adult Education and sewing center.
The Christian poor families and children are being affected due to the extreme poverty and less income generating opportunities. In these circumstances ROCOR Mission in Pakistan takes courageous steps to help the Christian Orthodox families and especially women group to learn skills of various natures such as sewing, and helping them to utilize their skills to earn income with respect and dignity

Goals and Objectives of Saint Matrona of Moscow Adult Education Center:
(Basic literacy skills are important for life)

1- To enable them to read and write themselves.
2- To provide them awareness of Orthodox Christian family values and Orthodox Traditions.
3- To impart the knowledge of Eastern Orthodox Catechism and they will be able to learn Orthodox Prayers, so that they may strengthen and steadfast to their faith in the Islamic State of Pakistan.
4- To enable them to have the ability to change an individual’s life and to solve real-life problems through teamwork within the context of an active learning environment.
5- After the completion basic literacy course, further skills such as sewing, embroidery and handcrafts is being taught to them so that they may earn their livelihood.
6- To build confidence, trust and determination so that they may deal the difficulties and hardships in their day to day life.

Arrangement of Sewing Machines and Sewing Kits:

The ROCOR Mission in Pakistan has arranged Sewing Machines, Irons, Scissors and Sewing Kits and other materials for their training. In this project 20 poor women and young girls will get 1 year training and this training include Drafting, Cutting, Sewing, Tailoring, Stitching and Embroidery. After the completion of 1 year training course, the successful and regular women will receive Sewing Machine so they may sew clothes to earn for themselves and for their families.

Background and Vision for the Uplift of women:

The adult Christian girls and women in Pakistan have been denied privilege of human right and basic right to education. They are denied not only the right to education, but also the right to decide matters relating to their marriages and divorce. In general women in Pakistan are facing discrimination and inequality at every step of their lives, from birth to death. The birth of female baby is not considered as a blessing in a family but they take care of baby girl just as their social responsibility but with burden.

Often abuses are compounded: poor girls and women are trafficked and subject to forced marriage. The Christian girls are the easy prey of forced marriage and in most of cases the Christian girls are forced to embrace Islam even a married Christian women are victim of Islamic Marriage Act. In our judiciary system consider the witness of two women equal to one man.

Vision of Russian Orthodox Church in Pakistan:

ROCOR Mission in Pakistan strongly believes that prayer and faith have been two main factors in the development and progress of any work and this faith lead us to share the love of Jesus and the treasures of holy orthodoxy in Pakistan. Our loving and kind Vladyka Hilarion teaches us to be humble and tolerant in all circumstances and he teaches us to love everyone so we are sharing this love with compassionate heart with all the people in Pakistan without any discrimination. Surely this love and compassion would help the women group to come out of poverty and give them hope for the future.

Saint Matrona of Moscow a source of spiritual encouragement:

As Saint Matrona of Moscow comforted and spiritually strengthened the Russian faithful during the Communist Regime. I believe that she will become a source of spiritual encouragement for suffering Christians in Pakistan. I pray to the Heavenly Father that may Saint Matrona of Moscow Center become a source of solidarity, peace, love and harmony in Pakistan.

Humble Request for Donations:

Your generosity makes it possible for Fr. Joseph to preach the holy orthodoxy in the most difficult region of the South East Asia. He reaches out to communities, families and children in desperate need, bringing the light of Christ to the darkest of circumstances.

Donate to the Mission

Funds are distributed from the ROCOR Fund For Assistance and directly distributed to the mission