12 November 2018 to Damascus on a humanitarian mission with the blessing of the Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk arrived Russian doctors — Director of the Scientific-practical center of pediatric Psychoneurology, honored doctor of the Russian Federation T. T. Batyshev and Russian ophthalmologist of Syrian origin Jihad Haddad.
On the same day in Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus held a prayer service “at the beginning of good works”, which was made by the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East hegumen Arseniy (Sokolov). After the prayer service, father Arseny, welcomed the guests and wished them God’s help in their noble mission. The main task arrived in Syria, the Russian doctors — the selection of the wounded during military action in Syria children amputees and their subsequent sending in the Russian medical institutions for prosthetics and psychological support.
After the service, T. T. and J. Batyshev. Haddad, accompanied by hegumen Arseny went to the Antiochian Patriarchate, where they were received by Bishop Sadnicki Luke, vicar of his Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch John X. Experts from Russia told the Hierarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Church about the purpose of his visit, Bishop Luke gave them his archpastoral blessing.
Stay in Syria, the Russian doctors philanthropists will last for several days. During the stay of T. T. and J. Batyshev. Haddad will meet with the Minister of health of Syria, will visit medical institutions in Damascus and make a medical examination of a war-torn children for their subsequent submission to treatment and rehabilitation in Russia.