The Belgorod diocese and the regional children's hospital signed a cooperation agreementtranslated

With the blessing of Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, on October 1, in the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the city of Stary Oskol, Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol performed a prayer service for seriously ill children. The clergy of the diocese served with the Bishop. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', the words of prayers for sick children were heard on this day in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. The rite of prayer singing, approved by the Holy Synod on October 30, 2025, includes petitions for the healing of sick children and for the granting of strength and patience to their parents. Addressing those gathered at the end of the prayers, the archpastor especially noted the Gospel reading that was performed during the service: “While performing the prayer service, we read the Gospel, where Christ healed Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter. She died, but He came into the house, went up to the bed where she was lying, took her hand and said to her: “talifa kumi.” This means in ancient Aramaic: "Arise, maiden." And she stood up...

The Lord helps in the most difficult times, when we see that children are leaving us, but through the prayers of all of us, Christ leaves them alive, performing a miracle.” It is symbolic that it was after the conciliar prayer for children that...