Patriarchal Exarchate in South-East Asia

The Patriarchal Exarchate in South-East Asia (PESEA,

Patriarchal Exarchate in
Russian: Патриарший экзархат в Юго-Восточной Азии) is an
exarchate created by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) on 28 South-East Asia
December 2018. Патриарший экзархат в Юго-
Восточной Азии
The primate of the PESEA is Metropolitan Sergius (Chashin) who
holds the title of "Metropolitan of Singapore and South-East Abbreviation PESEA
Asia".[1][2] Classification Eastern Orthodox
Church

History Primate Metropolitan

Sergius of
Singapore and
Background South-East Asia
Headquarters Singapore
Eastern Orthodoxy initially developed in Korea in connection with
the activities of the Korean spiritual mission of the Russian Territory Singapore,
Orthodox Church in the early 20th century. After the revolution of Vietnam,
1917, in conditions of turmoil and unprecedented dispersion of the Indonesia,
flock of the Russian Orthodox Church in different countries of the Cambodia, North
world, the first Russian parishes appeared in Southeast Asia: in the Korea, South
Philippines[3] and in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), which Korea, Laos,
at that time were subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church Malaysia,
Outside Russia. Missionary activity at that time was not carried
Myanmar, the
out, so the departure of Russian refugees from Southeast Asia led
Philippines, and
to the disappearance of these parishes.[4] Russian spiritual mission
Thailand
in South Korea in 1955 was transferred to the Patriarchate of
Constantinople.[5] Founder Holy Synod of the
Russian Orthodox
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, immigrants from the former Church
Soviet Union and other traditionally Orthodox countries began to
arrive in Southeast Asia. However, there were practically no Origin
28 December 2018
Eastern Orthodox parishes on this area, and the Moscow Moscow
Patriarchate did not have it at all.[6] Gradually the situation began Recognition by the Russian
to change. In 1999, hegumen Oleg (Cherepanin) founded the St. Orthodox Church
Nicholas parish in Bangkok. In 2001, hegumen Oleg was (28 December
appointed head of the then established Representation of The 2018), as an
Russian Orthodox Church in the Kingdom of Thailand, which was exarchate
also responsible for Laos and Cambodia. After the registration of
the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand in 2008, it became possible to open parishes across the
country.[7][8] As of 2018, there were 10, and all of them had permanent churches built. In addition, a
theological college was built and opened on the island of Phuket to train people of South-East Asia who
converted to Orthodoxy.[9] Three parishes in Cambodia were established, with churches were built for two
of them. Since 2014, the Russian Orthodox mission in the Philippines began to develop.[10] In 2018, there
were 16 parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Philippines, mainly on the island of Mindanao.[11] Two
Russian Orthodox communities were created in Vietnam, one in Vũng Tàu (since 2002) and the other in
Hanoi (since 2016). In Indonesia, the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate were opened in Jakarta,
Surabaya and Bali.[12]

On October 21, 2016, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church appointed Bishop Sergius
(Chashin) of Solnechnogorsk as the administrator for the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Southeast
and East Asia.[13] He took care of parishes in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, the
Philippines, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam. A separate structure was formed for
Thailand: the Patriarchal Parishes in Thailand, subordinated directly to the Patriarch of Moscow and all
Rus'.[14]

Creation of the PESEA

On 28 December 2018, in response to the Ecumenical Patriarchate's actions in Ukraine,[15] the Holy Synod
of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to create "a Patriarchal Exarchate in Western Europe with the
center in Paris", as well as "a Patriarchal Exarchate in South-East Asia [PESEA] with the center in
Singapore." The "sphere of pastoral responsibility" of the PESEA is Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia,
Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Myanmar, the Philippines, and
Thailand.[16][17][18][19] On the same day, in an interview with Russia-24 channel,[20] Metropolitan
Hilarion, spokesman of the ROC, declared the ROC "will now act as if they [Constantinople] do not exist
at all because our purpose is missionary, our task is to educate, we are creating these structures for
ministerial care about our flock, there can be no such deterring factors here", and that the ROC will take
charge of the Eastern Orthodox faithfuls of its diaspora instead of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.[21][22]

Archbishop Sergius (Chashin), was appointed as primate of the newly created PESEA, with the title "of
Singapore and Southeast Asia".[17][23][18] On 7 January 2019, during the evening service in the Church of
Christ the Savior in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill elevated Archbishop Sergius (Chashin) to the rank of
Metropolitan in connection with the latter's appointment as exarch of the PESEA.[24]

In August 2019, Metropolitan Sergius of Singapore and Southeast Asia said that "today we speak not of the
establishment of a 'parallel Church' but of the restoration of the ecclesiastical mission of the Russian
Orthodox Church. It is conditioned by the need to provide pastoral care to our compatriots in all parts of the
globe including Asia, as well as by the impossibility of our flock at present to partake of the Mysteries in
the Church of Constantinople as it has entered into communion with schismatics and invaded the canonical
bounds of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine"[25]

Structure
Since 26 February 2019, the exarchate is divided in four dioceses:[26][27][28]

Diocese of Singapore (comprising Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor and Papua
New Guinea), always headed by the primate of the PESEA[29][30]
Diocese of Korea (comprising North and South Korea)
Diocese of Thailand (comprising Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and the Myanmar)
Diocese of Philippines and Vietnam (comprising the Philippines and Vietnam)

On the same day, Metropolitan Sergius (Chashin) was appointed as ruling bishop of the Singapore
diocese,[26][31][27][28] as well as locum tenens of the other 3 dioceses.[32][27]
On 4 April 2019 Archbishop Theophanes was appointed by the Holy Synod as primate of the diocese of
Korea.[33][34]

Ruling bishops
Sergius (Chashin) (28 December 2018 -)[17][35]

See also
Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia – a diocese of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Philippine Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) – a church within the PESEA
Patriarchal Exarchate in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate) – exarchate of the Russian
Orthodox Church created for the same reasons and during the same synod

References
1. "Diocese established for the Philippines" (https://philippine-mission.org/2019/02/diocese-est
ablished-for-the-philippines/). Philippine Mission. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2019-03-03. "7.
The supreme ecclesiastical authority in the Exarchate belongs to the Synod of the
Patriarchal Exarchate in Southeast Asia (hereinafter referred to as the "Synod of the
Exarchate"), headed by the Metropolitan of Singapore and Southeast Asia, the Patriarchal
Exarch of South-East Asia (hereinafter "Exarch"), and consisting of diocesan bishops of the
dioceses of the Exarchate."
2. "Внутреннее положение о Патриаршем экзархате Юго-Восточной Азии /
Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5379645.htm
l) [Internal Regulations of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia]. Патриархия.ru (in
Russian). 26 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
3. "History" (https://philippine-mission.org/about/history-2/). Philippine Mission. Retrieved
2019-03-08.
4. "Православная земля… Индонезия" (https://www.pravmir.ru/pravoslavnaya-zemlya-indon
eziya/). www.pravmir.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-03-08.
5. "Галина Бесстремянная. "Малое стадо": Православие в Стране утренней свежести" (ht
tps://pravoslavie.ru/28517.html). pravoslavie.ru. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
6. "Иеромонах Михаил (Чепель). Направления современной православной миссии в
Таиланде (1999-2014 годы) / Православие.Ru" (http://www.pravoslavie.ru/73538.html).
www.pravoslavie.ru. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
7. "Official Website of Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand (Moscow Patriarchate)" (http://ort
hodox.or.th/index.php?lang=en). orthodox.or.th. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
8. "Официальный веб-сайт Православной Церкви в Таиланде (Московский Патриархат)"
(http://www.orthodox.or.th/index.php?content=history&sub_content=orthodox&lang=ru).
www.orthodox.or.th. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
9. "В РПЦ сообщили о планах построить два новых храма в Таиланде" (https://ria.ru/20181
205/1543695088.html). РИА Новости (in Russian). 5 December 2018. Retrieved
2019-03-08.
10. "ФИЛИППИНЫ • Большая российская энциклопедия - электронная версия" (https://bige
nc.ru/geography/text/4712529). bigenc.ru. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
11. "From the Philippines to Taiwan. Missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church — about
service in Asia – Russia news today" (https://chelorg.com/2018/06/22/from-the-philippines-to
-taiwan-missionaries-of-the-russian-orthodox-church-about-service-in-asia/). chelorg.com.
22 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
12. " "Священники идут в миряне": что происходит с православной миссией в Азии" (http
s://ria.ru/20180622/1523178718.html). РИА Новости (in Russian). 22 June 2018. Retrieved
2019-03-03.
13. "Administrator of Moscow Patriarchate parishes in East and South-East Asia begins his trip
to Philippines | The Russian Orthodox Church" (https://mospat.ru/en/2018/06/22/news16119
8/). mospat.ru. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
14. "ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 21 октября 2016 года / Официальные
документы / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4645730.html).
Патриархия.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-03-03.
15. "Russian Orthodox Church Synod forms patriarch's exarchates in Europe, Asia in response
to Constantinople's actions" (http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=14829).
www.interfax-religion.com. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
16. "The Russian Orthodox Church establishes a new Exarchate of Singapore and Southeast
Asia" (https://philippine-mission.org/2018/12/exarchate/). Philippine Mission. 2018-12-28.
Retrieved 2019-03-08.
17. "Patriarchal Exarchates established in Western Europe and South-East Asia | The Russian
Orthodox Church" (https://mospat.ru/en/2018/12/28/news168464/). mospat.ru. 28 December
2018. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
18. "ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 28 декабря 2018 года / Официальные
документы / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5330863.html).
Патриархия.ru (in Russian). 28 December 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
19. "Russian Orthodox Synod decides to set up exarchates in Western Europe and Southeast
Asia" (http://tass.com/society/1038429). TASS. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
20. Россия 24, Программа "Церковь и мир" от 28 декабря 2018 года - Россия 24 (https://w
ww.youtube.com/watch?v=QzZVKcPoVK8), retrieved 2018-12-30
21. Cazabonne, Emma (2018-12-29). " "The former Russian exarchate of Constantinople must
decide about its own future" " (https://orthodoxie.com/en/the-former-russian-exarchate-of-con
stantinople-must-decide-about-its-own-future/). Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
22. "Structures of Russian Orthodox Church to open in all localities that have Constantinople
parishes" (http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=14831). www.interfax-
religion.com. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
23. "The Russian Orthodox Church establishes a new Exarchate of Singapore and Southeast
Asia. • Philippine Mission" (https://philippine-mission.org/2018/12/exarchate/). Philippine
Mission. 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
24. "В праздник Рождества Христова Святейший Патриарх Кирилл совершил великую
вечерню в Храме Христа Спасителя / Новости / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.r
u/db/text/5338745.html). Патриархия.ru (in Russian). 7 January 2019. Retrieved
2019-03-03.
25. "ROC metropolitan denies Constantinople accusations of non-canonical actions of the
Moscow Patriarchate in Southeast Asia" (http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=1
5244). www.interfax-religion.com. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
26. "Russian Orthodox Church to set up 4 dioceses in SE. Asia" (http://www.interfax-religion.co
m/?act=news&div=14979). www.interfax-religion.com. 26 February 2019. Retrieved
2019-02-26.
27. "Состоялось первое в 2019 году заседание Священного Синода Русской
Православной Церкви / Новости / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/53795
18.html). Патриархия.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-02-27.
28. "Diocese established for the Philippines" (https://philippine-mission.org/2019/02/diocese-est
ablished-for-the-philippines/). Philippine Mission. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
29. "Патриарший экзархат Юго-Восточной Азии / Организации / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.
patriarchia.ru/db/text/5332938.html). Патриархия.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-06-07.
30. "Diocese established for the Philippines" (https://philippine-mission.org/2019/02/diocese-est
ablished-for-the-philippines/). philippine-mission.org. 27 February 2019. Retrieved
2019-06-07. "14. The Exarch is the diocesan bishop of the Singapore Diocese and heads
the administration of the Exarchate on the basis of the canons, the Charter of the Russian
Orthodox Church, the present Statute and the Charter of the Exarchate."
31. "Журналы заседания Священного Синода от 26 февраля 2019 года | Русская
Православная Церковь" (https://mospat.ru/ru/2019/02/26/news170878/). mospat.ru (in
Russian). 26 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
32. Furukama, Eiji; Kaneko, Natsuki (31 March 2019). "Orthodox church schism extends Putin's
reach in Asia" (https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Orthodox-church-schis
m-extends-Putin-s-reach-in-Asia2). Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 4 April 2019. " "Four
dioceses have been formed as part of the Patriarchal Exarchate in Southeast Asia: the
Singaporean, Korean, Thai and Filipino-Vietnamese," Vladimir Legoyda, head of the
Russian church's Synodal Department for Church, Society and Media Relations, told
reporters in February.
"It has been decided that Metropolitan Sergei of Singapore and Southeast Asia will be the
governing archbishop of the Singaporean diocese, and he has also been entrusted with the
temporary running of the other three," Legoyda said."
33. "Ethnic Korean bishop appointed for Russian Church's Korean Diocese" (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20190717071741/http://orthochristian.com/120402.html). OrthoChristian.Com. 5
April 2019. Archived from the original (http://orthochristian.com/120402.html) on 17 July
2019. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
34. "ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 4 апреля 2019 года / Официальные
документы / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5404829.html).
Патриархия.ru (in Russian). 4 April 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
35. "Сергий, митрополит Сингапурский и Юго-Восточно-Азиатский (Чашин Николай
Николаевич) / Персоналии / Патриархия.ru" (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/201817.htm
l). Патриархия.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-04-20.

External links
Patriarchal Exarchate of South-East Asia (http://exarchate.asia/)
Korean Eparchy (Moscow Patriarchate) (https://www.korthodox.com/) – a church within the
PESEA
Orthodox Christian Church of Cambodia (Moscow Patriarchate) (https://orthodoxchurchcamb
odia.org/) – a church within the PESEA
Orthodox Church in Thailand (Moscow Patriarchate) (http://www.orthodox.or.th/) – a church
within the PESEA
 Philippines and Vietnam Diocese (Moscow Patriarchate) (http://phvieparchy.org/en/) – a
church within the PESEA

Further reading
"EXCLUSIVE: How the Moscow Patriarchate Tramples on Church Canons and Undermines
Orthodox Unity in Korea" (https://web.archive.org/web/20190707133256/http://theorthodoxw
orld.com/exclusive-how-the-moscow-patriarchate-tramples-on-church-canons-and-undermin
es-orthodox-unity-in-korea/). The Orthodox World. 12 April 2019. Archived from the original
(https://theorthodoxworld.com/exclusive-how-the-moscow-patriarchate-tramples-on-church-c
anons-and-undermines-orthodox-unity-in-korea/) on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 17 October
2019.

"Open letter of Metropolitan Sergiy of Singapore and Southeast Asia, Patriarchal Exarch of
Southeast Asia, to Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea (Patriarchate of Constantinople)" (http://
www.interfax-religion.com/?act=documents&div=278). Interfax-Religion. 29 August 2019.

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