On January 28-30, 2020, the Russian General Custody of St. Francis of Assisi conducted a fraternal meeting at the St. Anthony the Miracle Worker Friary in St. Petersburg.

The meeting, which is usually held annually, was attended by all the friars of the Custody along with Friar Tomáš LESŇÁK, the Assistant General for the Foederatio Europae Mediae et Orientalis (FEMO).
The meeting program was organized so that it contained elements of ongoing formation and also offered an opportunity for the friars to get to know each other better, to deepen their fraternal life and exchange useful information.
The speakers at the meeting included Friar Tomáš LESŇÁK, who shared some reflections on formation, Friar Luca BAINO, OFM, who spoke about the conversion journey of St. Francis of Assisi; and Friar Andrian ZUDIN, the Custodial Vicar, who presented the main topics from a seminar on spreading the “fame of holiness,” by the Postulator General, Friar Damian PĂTRAŞCU. Friar Damien led the seminar on March 11-14, 2019, in Brehov, Slovakia. Another speaker was Friar Paweł BLOK of the Nur-Sultan Community in Kazakhstan, who presented highlights from the “Human Life International” meeting. The meeting took place in January of 2020, in India.
The Custodial fraternal meeting was carried out in a joyful atmosphere and gave the friars an opportunity to dialogue and strengthen their fraternal ties.

Friar Dariusz HARASIMOWICZ, Custos