Deacon Igor Kulikov, Director of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission and Head of the Social Ministry Department of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, visited the Pokrov Diocese on September 28, 2026. He was accompanied on the trip by Evgeny Shatskikh, a specialist in working with petitioners and organizing humanitarian aid centers at the Synodal Department of Charity, and Yulia Shatskikh, coordinator of the sisterhoods of mercy.
A meeting was held with Bishop Theodore of Pokrovsky and Novouzensk and the head of the diocesan social department, Priest Kirill Pankrashov. The meeting discussed the development of church social service in the diocese, assistance to the families of veterans of the SVR, the ministry of sisters of mercy and issues of long-term care for the disabled and elderly wards.
"Many churches of the Russian Orthodox Church now have a variety of projects to support the combatants and their loved ones. Many are weaving nets, pouring trench candles, and collecting dry soups. There are 3D workshops and entire workshops for the production of stretchers, complete sets of tactical first-aid kits and many other things that are necessary to save lives at the front," said Deacon Igor Kulikov. — The wives and mothers of soldiers are actively involved in this work, and it is no less important for them than for those to whom they send this help. At the same time, combining the efforts of all parishes into a single support system for veterans of the SVR and their loved ones greatly increases the effectiveness of this work."
On the same day, a seminar on social service was held for parish social workers and dean's assistants in social service. The main topic of the lesson was working with petitioners in the parish.
Opening the seminar, Bishop Theodore, who led the class, noted the importance of church social service as a natural and necessary part of the life of every church community. Vladyka Theodore pointed out that the main goal of all charity events is to increase love both in those who perform works of mercy and in those to whom these works are directed.
At the beginning of the meeting, Evgeny Shatskikh presented a demonstration film about the work of the Synodal Department of Charity, which has been operating for more than 30 years, as well as about sisterhoods in Russia, the opening of centers for the homeless and drug addicts, and assistance to pregnant and single mothers in crisis. Evgeny Shatskikh shared his experience in organizing humanitarian aid centers, building social services in parishes and dioceses, and spoke about the development of key social projects of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the end of the seminar, experts from Moscow got acquainted with the work of the autonomous non-profit organization "Under the Cover". The head of the organization, Elena Grankina, spoke in detail about the implementation of social projects aimed at helping women and families in crisis situations.
On September 29-30, specialists from the Synodal Department of Charity also visited the most active parishes where church social projects are being implemented in order to individually work with each social worker to develop systemic assistance to those in need.
"The purpose of the seminars, which are held directly in the parishes, is to individually study the issues raised by parish social workers in this work. It is not always possible to do this at general meetings, but such seminars complement them well and increase work efficiency," said Deacon Igor Kulikov.
The Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission was established by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church with the aim of coordinating and systematically developing assistance to civilians in the Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, as well as providing assistance to wounded servicemen.
There are 12 Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission assistance centers in Donbas, Novorossiya and the border regions, where over 423,000 requests have been processed. More than 4,450 tons of humanitarian aid have been transferred to the victims. More than 8,400 volunteers participated in helping the victims. As part of the project to restore private housing for those in need in the conflict zone, 870 private homes have been restored. Volunteer priests travel in shifts to 45 hospitals in the territory of Donbass, Novorossiya and the border regions. Together with the Synodal Department for Charity, a service is working to help veterans of the SVR and their loved ones.