Orthodoxy in Thailand

Orthodoxy (Orthodox Christianity) in Thailand is presented by the Representative Office of Russian Orthodox Church (since 1999), including the Orthodox parish of Saint Nicolas in Bangkok (Sukhothai road, Dusit)^[1][2], Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Coptic Orthodox Church^[3].

Russian Orthodox Church

The mission is headed by Father (Archimandrite) Oleg Cherepanin^[2] (by 2008 information) and serves Russian tourists or citizens in Thailand, local believers of Thai origin^[4] and people of other nationalities, including Romanians, Greeks, French.

Besides main parish of Saint Nicholas' Chapel in Bangkok, there are several Russian Orthodox communes including Parish in the name of Holy Life-Giving Trinity on Phuket island, Parish in the name of All Saints in Chonburi province, Parish in the name of Holy Dormition, Rachatburi province, The Holy Ascension parish in Samui island, Surat Thani province. The mission of Russian Orthodox Church since its establishment translated into Thai language the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the Orthodox Book of prayer and the book about the history of Russian Orthodox Church. In July, 2008, the representative office of Russian Orthodox Church was officially registered by Thailand authorities as foundation "Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand"^[5].

In November 2007, Father Oleg Cherepanin took part in ecumenical Pilgrimage of trust in Bangkok’s Assumption Cathedral. Among the present were religious leaders of Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Thailand, Church of Christ in Thailand, Russian Orthodox Church and also the young people from Laos, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia who came specially for the prayer^[6].

The year of 2009 was marked by the visit to Thailand of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation headed by Archbishop Hilarion to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Orthodoxy in the country^[7].

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Great Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church also have plans to officially establish their parishes in Thailand.^[8] The Eastern Orthodox communes in Thailand belong to jurisdiction of Metropolitan of Hong Kong & Southeast Asia Nikitas. Time after time, representatives of Ecumenical Patriarchate organize Church services and Divine Liturgy for their faithful in Thailand with help of the Embassy of Greece in Bangkok^[9].

References

1. ^ Archbishop Hilarion celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas’s in Bangkok, Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church Communications Service, December 2009
2. ^ ^{a b} Thailand: Thai convert trains to become Russian Orthodox priest, by UCAN
3. ^ Thailand Region News, The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney
4. ^ Тайская миссия (Thai Mission), by Elena Batueva, Educational Orthodox Society "Russia in colors" in Jerusalem, in Russian
5. ^ Православная Церковь получила государственную регистрацию в Таиланде, "Pravoslavie.RU" Portal, July 2008, in Russian
6. ^ Pilgrimage of trust in Bangkok: 2007, Taize Home Page, November 2007
7. ^ Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk completes his visit to Thailand with laying the foundation of the Holy Trinity Church in Phuket , Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, News Archive - December 2009
8. ^ History of the Holy Orthodox Church, Far Eastern Orthodoxy, compiled by Very Rev. Fr. Constantin Alecse, The Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church of Los Angeles
9. ^ First Divine Liturgy by Metropolitan Nikitas in Bangkok, Thailand, The Orthodox Community of St. Luke the Evangelist in Hong Kong

External links

• Official web-site of Russian Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand