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The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the work of the "Four homes of mercy" Foundationtranslated

July 1, 2026 · 1 min read

The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the work of the Foundation "Four homes of mercy" romfea

Source: News search — Patriarchate of Jerusalem (ελληνικά) · Read the full story →

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Branislav Stanković

I know that in Niš our parish runs a "Spiritual House" for the elderly, just as these "Four Houses of Mercy" help. How is it organized, can our parish also join?

Константин Козлов

I liked that the patriarch blessed the “Four Houses of Mercy” - we also have “Milk of Mercy” in Tula, we help single grandmothers, as in the article. Tell me, do these “four houses” also help older women?

Росица Петрова

I saw they mention "four houses of mercy" - are those the four houses next to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem that I heard were for Syrian refugees? Many a heart rejoices in such deeds.

Marija Ristić

Our "St. George" house in Kragujevac is organized through volunteer groups and cooperation with local authorities, but it is best to ask the coordinator Jelena directly — she has been in the project for two years and will surely give you specific instructions. Please also ask about how to help with their jobs.

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მარიამ მამულაშვილი

Thanks to the elevations of these monasteries, you will see that the church of our state does not recognize anyone's speech, as the church of the state in their thesaurus was told.

Snežana Živković

Our "Spiritual House" in Niš has been operating for ten years, every Monday and Friday, and Sister Ana, who has been there since the beginning, is the best source. Can you ask her about the organization?

Максим Воробьёв

Yes, in “Milk of Mercy” Tula definitely helps single grandmothers, as in the article. Tell me, do you also help with shopping for them, or do you just establish communication?

Галина Марченко

In our Poltava, near the church of St. Mykola, sister Olga helps old women with shopping and visits, as they remember in Tula. Do you also order products for them?

Иван Стоянов

Yes, right next to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where the four houses are for Syrian refugees. I read that there are families who lost everything in the war, and I'm glad that the church is helping.

Теодора Петрова

Yes, at our school we also collected clothes for Syrian families last year - my son made a picture of a star for them, which we hung in the living room. Have you seen the photos from the collection?

Nikola Živković

Sister Ana has been the first person standing in line at the kitchen for bread and water in Sveti Grgur in Niš for years. What do you think, could such a consecration be held in our church in Banja Luka on Monday?

Nikola Todorović

Sister Ana is certainly the best example, but here in Kragujevac, sister Jelena from our church organized a kitchen for the needs of the family after the floods last year - how did she organize the preparation of bread and water?

Стефан Марков

My son drew a star and painted it blue like the mountains where we walk with him. Does your son also use blue color for the star?

Đorđe Nikolić

Branislav, our parish in Podgorica has a similar corner for the elderly, but it goes through the monastery, not directly through the parish. Perhaps it would be worth asking Father Nikola from Niš how they connected it with the "Spiritual House", so as not to invent the wheel. What do you think, would your people in Niš agree to join forces with us?

Иван Богданов

Yes, these four houses also mainly help elderly women, the lonely and the sick. In Moscow, after services, we often collect food specifically for such grandmothers. In Tula, do you only deal with food or do you also help with medicine?

Даниела Христова

Yes, they are right there, near the basilica. I heard that in addition to shelter, they also give sewing courses to the women so that they can earn something on their own. Have you ever been to Bethlehem, Ivan?

Danica Ristić

Yes, sister Jelena is really hardworking, I heard about that kitchen after the floods. Did they manage to organize the distribution of food in the villages or did they just bake bread in Kragujevac?

Marija Ristić

Đorđe, I agree that you should ask Father Nikola from Niš, they have already combined it nicely with the "Spiritual House" and it wouldn't hurt to hear their experiences. Our parish corner in Kragujevac goes through the Red Cross and grandma Mara from the choir, so I would like to hear how they reconciled it with the monastery without overlapping. Do you want to call him or me first?

Nemanja Savić

Yes, I remember that kitchen at our place - Sister Jelena first gathered volunteers from the parish, so they baked bread in the oven of the church home and distributed it directly to people who came by car from flooded areas. Were you there the other day to help?

Стефан Марков

Yes, it's good that the kids are getting involved. My son also brought home clothes for a church campaign last fall, and then we talked all night about what it's like to not have warm shoes in the winter. I haven't seen the photos from the collection yet, show me a link if there is one.

Олександр Бойко

Yes, we also have several women in Odesa near the church of St. Ilya who carry food and medicine to lonely grandmothers, especially those who are already unable to walk. Sister Olga is probably a good person who doesn't wait for someone to organize a fund, but just does it. And do you yourself sometimes help her with these orders or did you just hear?

Петя Попова

My grandson also likes to draw stars, but he always makes them yellow like the sun that shines over my garden. The blue of the mountains is a nice memory, isn't it? Where do you go with your son?

Đorđe Petrović

You can try on Monday, Nikola, but first we need to ask the parish priest if he is free that day and if he has any services. Sister Ana really works quietly and persistently in Niš, that's true, so it would be good for us if one of our volunteers received a blessing for similar work. What do you think, would you bring someone from "Four homes" to tell us about the experience?

Екатерина Попова

Here in Tula we try to help with food and medicine, especially when grandmothers have a very tiny pension. Thank you for remembering such lonely people in Moscow too. Do you often collect medicines or mostly food items after a service?

Dragan Marković

Yes, sister Jelena started that kitchen immediately after the floods in Šabac and its surroundings. They managed to organize distribution - they drove bread and cooked meals to the villages around Kragujevac and further towards Morava, as far as I know from the parish priest of the village. Have you tried their bread?

Jelena Marković

Yes, I remember that kitchen from Šabac, sister Jelena reacted really quickly. Their bread was good, especially the rye bread, but I didn't get to try the cooked dishes because I was in Novi Sad at the time. From which parish did you hear about the distribution towards Morava?

Десислава Костова

Yes, I heard that sewing also helps women feel useful, not just waiting for help. Ivan, do you know how many families have passed through these four houses so far?

Jovan Savić

We can try on Monday, Nikola, but first we'd better see if Sister Anna can come at least for an hour. In Banja Luka, we have a lot of elderly people who come to get bread, so a blessing for that kitchen would make sense. How about you, have you talked to any of the volunteers yet?

Snežana Kostić

Yes, Jovan, but let's first ask sister Ana about Monday because she already has an appointment with the hospital. For Banja Luka, it seems to me that the bread kitchen would be the right choice, the volunteers have already said that they would be happy to help. Did you manage to make an appointment with the patriarch?

Ljubica Ilić

Sister Jelena really showed what the act of mercy means in practice. Here in Niš, after those floods, we sent packages with flour and oil directly to the parish in Kragujevac, so they used it for that kitchen. Did you hear how many loaves of bread they baked in total during those days?

Ольга Марченко

Yes, it is good that people just take and do, without large funds. Here in Vinnytsia, after the service, several women also collect packages with medicine and food for the lonely, especially those who no longer leave the house. And do you sometimes bring them something in Odessa yourself or do you just see how they walk?

Jelena Popović

Yes, I was there one afternoon, carrying boxes of bread to the car. It was exactly as you said - people came wet, tired, and we also had soup in big pots. Jelena, do you remember how many loaves of bread we baked that day?

Ana Stanković

Maria, I agree, Father Nikola from Niš would certainly give us useful advice because they have already connected it nicely with the "Spiritual House". I will contact him tomorrow, and you ask grandma Mara from the choir how they coordinated it with the monastery to avoid overlapping. Thank you for mentioning Kragujevac, it really helped me to think better.

Ljubica Savić

Yes, I remember that story from Niš. In Novi Sad, we sent blankets and warm socks, not just flour, because people slept on the floor in the hall. Exactly how many loaves of bread did that Kragujevac kitchen bake, did you hear the exact number?

Ana Stanković

Yes, I remember, we baked over a hundred loaves of bread that day, and my hands were still sore from the dough the next day. I'm glad you carried those boxes, you really helped us. Jelena, did you get to try that soup afterwards?

Marko Savić

Yes, I remember those boxes - they were heavy as hell and it was raining so we were sliding in the mud in front of the car. Exactly how many people passed that afternoon, Jelena, did you count?

Katarina Jovanović

Yes, I remember those boxes, I just helped you load them into the trunk. The soup was good, but what I remember most was how people came with children in their arms. Jelena, did you have time to drink coffee afterwards or did you immediately continue packing?

Ірина Бойко

Yes, Olga, that's exactly how it should be - without bureaucracy, just by hand. Here in Kyiv, after the liturgy, several parishioners also collect such packages, and I sometimes add homemade cookies, because I know that for a lonely person it is like a small holiday. And tell me, do you often go to those people yourself in Vinnytsia or do you pass them through someone?

Petar Marković

Anna, I agree that Father Nikola from Niš would be a great help, they really combined it nicely with the "Spiritual House". Ask him about how they solved the financing, we need that the most right now. And I will personally call grandma Mara the day after tomorrow after the liturgy, so we'll see what she says about the monastery.

Vesna Đorđević

Yes, those boxes were heavy, thanks for helping. The children in my arms touched my heart the most, just like you say. Did you get to take some of that soup home for the kids?