A new Orthodox church consecrated in Thailand

12/2/15

The Church of the Holy Royal Martyrs – the sixth Russian Orthodox parish church on the territory of Thailand – was solemnly consecrated on Sunday in the resort town of Hua Hin, reports RIA-Novosti.

The consecration of the church was headed by Archbishop Theophylact of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessk who had arrived in Thailand with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin) participated in the ceremony as well. The Russian ambassador to Thailand Kirill Barsky was present at the event.

The Church of the Holy Royal Martyrs has been built in the town of Hua Hin, 200 kilometres (124.3 miles) from Bangkok, not far from the Klai Kangwon palace – the Thai summer royal residence. This palace was constructed in 1911-1915 by heir to the throne of the Siamese Kingdom, Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath of Siam (1883-1920) and Siamese minister of war. He spent his childhood and youth in the Russian Empire where he obtained high military education and became a pupil of the Holy Emperor Nicholas II who was a friend of his father – King Chulalongkorn (Rama V of Siam).

This week is to be marked by two more remarkable events in the Orthodox life of Thailand.

Thus, on Tuesday, in Chiang Mai – known as “the rose of North Thailand” – Archbishop Theophylact is to lay the foundation stone of the Church of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Baptizer of Russia – the 1000^th anniversary of his repose the Russian Orthodox Church is celebrating in 2015.

And on Thursday, the Church in honor of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh will be consecrated On the island of Ko Chang.

A representation of the Russian Orthodox Church has been in Thailand since 1999. At the present time, besides the newly-built churches (mentioned above), there are also Russian Orthodox churches in Bangkok, Pattaya, on the islands of Phuket and (Ko) Samui. All of them were constructed owing to the parishioners’ donations.

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