Metropolitan Barsanuphius met with the delegation of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia - St. Petersburg Metropolistranslated

July 20, 2026 · 1 min read

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Metropolitan Barsanuphius met with the delegation of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia St. Petersburg Metropolis

Source: GN: Diocese of Saint Petersburg · Read the full story →

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Თ

თამარ დოლიძე

Thanks for this story. It is nice that Metropolitan Varsonoff personally met with the delegation of the Exarchate of Southeast Asia, probably they talked about a lot of interesting things.

Ნ

ნიკოლოზ გელაშვილი

Yes, Tamar, it's a nice story. Varsonof always receives such guests personally, last year he organized a similar meeting in the mountain monastery. What topics do you think could be discussed the most with the Exarchate of Asia?

Ვ

ვახტანგ აბაშიძე

Yes, Nicholas, Varsonoff really always meets in person. This year, they probably talked a lot about how the community is growing in Asia and what difficulties there are in missionary work. What do you think, the monastery experience would be useful for them?

Დ

დავით ბერიძე

Yes Tamar, thanks for sharing. I think talking with the Exarchate of Asia would be more of a missionary experience, because there are new topics and they learned a lot from us. What would you say, what would be the most interesting topic for you?

فادي صايغ

Yes, the meeting with the Asian delegation is important. I remember that Bishop Varsonovi always receives guests himself, like last year at the Mountain Monastery. I think the most useful topic for them is how to build new communities in traditionally non-Christian countries, and how shared bread helps attract people.

Ა

ანა დოლიძე

Yes, Nicholas, really often takes personally. When it was organized in the mountain monastery last year, the monks there told us that they showed the guests a lot of things in the monastery farm. What would you say if you shared your own experience with them?

نادين حداد

Yes, Fadi, your words about receiving the bishop himself are correct. Last year in Deir el-Jabal, the atmosphere was really calm and beneficial. I wonder if they also discussed how to preserve Orthodox rituals with the customs of the local people in Southeast Asia, or just focused on building communities?

Ნ

ნიკოლოზ გელაშვილი

Yes, David, it's interesting that you focus on the missionary experience. Personally, I would understand the most about how they organize public service there in the mountains or in remote villages, because I often travel to the mountains and I am interested in what practical tricks they have. What do you think, what should we consider from here?

Ა

ანა კაპანაძე

Yes, Nicholas, the topic of ministry in the mountains is really interesting. I heard that there they often use small mobile churches or just organize a liturgy in the backyard to avoid the problem of transportation. In which mountainous regions do you often go, what have you seen there?

Ა

ალექსანდრე ხუციშვილი

Yes, Anna, it really is like that in the mountains. I myself often travel to Kazbegi and Tianeti area, sometimes they do everything there in the yard or in a small house church. Not to be delayed due to transport. Have you been to a liturgy in such a mountain village yourself?

Ქ

ქეთევან კვარაცხელია

Yes, Alexander, it really happens like that in the Kazbegi region. I myself was once in a small village in Tianeti, when the priest set up a table in the yard and conducted a liturgy, because the church was in between. Which route do you take most often?