On September 16, 2026, Bishop Zosima of Magnitogorsk and Verkhneuralsky, during a working trip to the Belgorod Archdiocese, with the blessing of Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskolsky, visited two hospitals where participants in a special military operation are being treated and volunteers from the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission are working. Vladyka was accompanied by Evelina Shpakovich, volunteer coordinator for hospital service at the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission in Belgorod.
The archpastor visited a military field distribution hospital and a medical battalion for the lightly wounded, where soldiers stay until they fully recover, after which they go to the front line. In addition to talking with the wounded, Bishop Zosima talked with the Mission's volunteers.
Addressing the volunteers and military personnel, Bishop Zosima noted their selfless service: "You can meet amazing people here. Today we are meeting with girls who work as part of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission. Instead of idle leisure, they devote all their free time to caring for and helping wounded soldiers in the hospital. They could have chosen a different way of spending their time, much more comfortable and emotionally more grateful, but they come here with a willingness to help their neighbor in his difficult moment."
Evelina Shpakovich spoke about the service of volunteers and shared her observations about how this work touches the hearts of people far from the Church: "Sometimes girls come, but not all of them are churchgoers. I observe such things that people who are far from the Church, being among Orthodox volunteers and helping their neighbors in the hospital, still feel the spark of God touching them. I have many volunteers with whom we continue to communicate. They write to me: "Evelina, I've never gone to church before, but now I've started attending, I've started receiving communion." There are many such people. That's not why they came here, but through their ministry, their souls were touched by faith and God."
His Eminence emphasized that the ministry of mercy, which is organized with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, unites clergy and laity and gives people the opportunity not to stand aside, providing comprehensive support to the Motherland in a difficult hour.
On the same day, the archpastor visited the church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy to All who Grieve" in Shebekino together with its cleric, Priest Gennady Zavodovsky. Then Vladyka visited two military installations in the immediate vicinity of Shebekino, as well as the location of the Cossacks of the Samara Cossack army. In these places, he gave communion to the soldiers of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, held talks on spiritual topics and supported them with kind parting words.