On May 28, 2026, Vladimir Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-Society Relations and the Media, held a working meeting with Orthodox volunteers who provide assistance to residents and parishes in the area of a special military operation in the press center of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
Representatives of volunteer organizations took part in the discussion, including Ekaterina Mesinova, head of the Good Angel Foundation, and Sergey Umnov, head of the Putnik NGO. The main focus was on issues related to the support of Orthodox parishes, the development of the volunteer movement and the search for new forms of encouragement for people who regularly participate in humanitarian initiatives.
The participants of the meeting also exchanged their experience in organizing parish assistance to those in need. They discussed the distribution of food, medicines, clothing and other basic necessities through church communities, as well as the development of information and educational projects in historical regions.
Media initiatives aimed at supporting church life and strengthening ties between Orthodox communities occupied a special place on the agenda. As an example, the previously implemented project of the Thomas magazine for the production and distribution of a special edition of the newspaper for residents of the Kherson region and parishes of local dioceses was presented.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of medals of the Synodal Department "Peace and Harmony" to Orthodox volunteers for their contribution to humanitarian service.
Of particular interest to the participants was the presentation of the project "Volunteer Lampada", which is implemented by the editorial board of Global Orthodox. The initiative is aimed at supporting Orthodox communities in historical regions, preserving spiritual ties between people and developing volunteer practices that unite church activists, parishes and charitable organizations. The project has become one of the examples of how modern Orthodox media can not only cover socially significant events, but also act as direct participants in humanitarian and educational activities.