Syrian children receive presents from Russia on St. Nicholas commemoration day
On 19th December 2020, commemoration day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, a party for children was held at the premises of the Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch. The party was organized with the assistance of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus, the All-Russia Public Organization of Veterans “Battle Brotherhood”, the Embassy of Russia in Syria, the Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides, and the Russian Center for Science and Culture.
Refugee children from Zabadani received presents from Russia. Among those who sent the presents were parishioners of the Moscow Resurrection Church in Uspensky Vrazhek who are patrons of the Sunday schools of the Orthodox Church of Antioch. Zabadani was in the hands of terrorists for several years and is coming back to a peaceful life. Russia is restoring a church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in the city.
Bishop Ephrem of Seleucia, a vicar of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, thanked the guests for making the day for children and for their help in erecting Christmas trees at the Patriarchate in Damascus, in the Dormition Church in Zabadani and in several other Syrian towns.
The day before, a Russian party for Sunday school children was held at the Church of the Holy Cross, the largest church of the Antiochian Orthodox Church. Among those having come to congratulate the children were representatives of the “Battle Brotherhood”, servicemen from the Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides, and Mr. Timofei Bokov, cultural attaché of the Russian Embassy in the Syrian Arab Republic