From August 5 to 12, 2026, freelance specialists from the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service traveled to Donetsk, Lugansk, Gorlovka, Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog. The trip, organized by the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission together with the Synodal Department for Charity with the support of the Vladimir and Vyatka Dioceses, is dedicated to the development of church ministry among the deaf and hard of hearing people.
The delegation included clergy and Russian sign language translators with many years of experience in spiritual support for the deaf and hard of hearing: Priest Igor Shilyaev, a cleric of the Vyatka Diocese, an expert at the Coordinating Center for Work with the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing of the Synodal Department of Charity; Priest Vyacheslav Androsov, head of the Department for Work with the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing of the Vladimir Diocese.; Priest Alexy Rubtsov, responsible for the spiritual care of the deaf and hard of hearing in Suzdal, as well as Russian sign language translators Lyubov Filimonova and Elena Golubeva.
Divine Liturgies with sign language translation into Russian were held in each of the cities visited by the delegation members.
On August 7, with the blessing of Metropolitan Vladimir of Donetsk and Mariupol, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Donetsk with a translation into Russian sign language. Representatives of public organizations and the Donetsk regional branch of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf prayed during the service. After the Liturgy, a round table was held, which was attended by the chairman of the Donetsk regional branch of the VOG, L.N. Zhuravel-Prozhorina. The guests shared the experience of existing Orthodox communities for people with hearing impairments in the Vladimir and Vyatka dioceses.
On August 8, with the blessing of Metropolitan Mitrofan of Gorlovka and Slavyansk, a divine service was held in the Epiphany Cathedral of Gorlovka for the deaf and hard of hearing residents of Gorlovka and Yenakiyevo. It was the first Liturgy with sign language translation in the Gorlovka diocese.
On August 9, with the blessing of Metropolitan Panteleimon of Lugansk and Alchevsk, the Divine Liturgy for people with hearing impairments was celebrated in the Church of All Saints in Lugansk. This service was the first in 12 years. 
"The common prayer of the Symbol of Faith in sign language became a particularly profound moment," said Priest Vyacheslav Androsov, head of the Department for work with the deaf, Deafblind and Hard of hearing of the Vladimir Diocese. "Some parishioners even shed tears, seeing how the Church gathers completely different people united by a common faith and love for Christ."
On August 10, Russian Rostov-on-Don Cathedral hosted the Divine Liturgy in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "Derzhavnaya" in Rostov-on-Don with the blessing of Metropolitan Mercury of Rostov and Novocherkassk. And on August 11, such a service was held for the first time in Taganrog in the church in honor of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious.
After the services, round tables dedicated to the spiritual support of people with hearing impairments were held in all cities. Clergy, translators, representatives of public organizations, and the deaf and hard of hearing themselves discussed the conditions necessary for the development of this ministry in the regions. The participants of the meetings also watched and discussed the short film "Hope", shot in the Vladimir Diocese with the participation of the deaf community. The clergy and volunteers handed over humanitarian aid and gifts collected by members of the Vladimir regional branch of the VOG and the Orthodox community of the deaf of the Vladimir Diocese to the deaf and hard of hearing residents of Donbass.
The final round table was held on August 12 at the Synodal Department for Charity with the participation of Russian sign language translators from Moscow, Varvara and Maria Romashkin. The participants of the trip shared their impressions, discussed the results of the meetings and outlined plans for further development of service to people with hearing impairments in each of the regions, as well as discussed upcoming events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf.