The Patriarchate of Moscow donated vaccines to the Church of Antioch

The Patriarchate of Antioch received a donation from the Russian vaccine against the Sputnik-V coronavirus, the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church announced. The donation was organized by the External Department of the Moscow Patriarchate and handed over on June 25 at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon to the abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of the Assumption in Balamand Archim. Roman (Hanat), from the head of the court of the ROC-MP in Beirut, archim. Philip (Vasiltsev) and the Russian ambassador to the country R. Mamaev.

With the blessing of Patriarch John of Antioch, on June 1, the donated vaccines were officially handed over to the Vaccination Center at Balamand University, a higher education institution of the Patriarchate of Antioch whose jurisdiction covers Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. The Russian ambassador said the donation of Russian vaccines was an expression of concern for the Lebanese people and the Orthodox community and was proof of the ongoing cooperation between the Orthodox Churches of Russia and Antioch in both Lebanon and Syria.

Archim. Philip said members of the Russian-speaking Orthodox community in Lebanon would also be vaccinated at the Balamand Vaccination Center.