Changes

From August 1996, the Patriarch blessed him to hold [[missionary ]] Biblical conversations in the Kriutitsy Patriarchal Metochion with people who had suffered from the influence of sects and, later, occult activities. He began work at the Rehabilitation Centre of St [[John of Kronstadt]], under the direction of hieromonk [[Anatolius (Berestov)]].

In 2001, he was ordained to the priesthood, and his second child was born. He was assigned to the Church of Ss Peter and Paul in Yasenevo, Moscow, where he became secretary of the Shestodnev [[missionary]]-educational centre and continuing his work at the St John of Kronstadt centre. Around this time, his anthology on ''Divine Revelation and Contemporary Science'' was published; over his lifetime, he would publish over a dozen articles on creation and anti-sectarian issues.

In 2005, the Moscow city government allocated Fr Daniel's community 0.5 hectares (just under 1.25 acres) of land in Kantemirovskiy, Moscow, for the construction of a stone church, dedicated to the [[Prophet Daniel]]. By November 2006, land was cleared of undergrowth and debris by the community, and a small, temporary wooden church was dedicated to the Apostle Thomas. Fr Daniel's [[parish]] aimed to convert non-Christians, mostly non-Russians who resided in Moscow, and was in an ideal location to do this, as Kantemirovskiy distict is the district of many expatriate communities and where many different sects are active. The parish runs [[missionary ]] courses, singing lessons, [[iconography]] classes and a scout group. Fr Daniel also opened a catechetical school about the basics of Christianity, and ran a successive five-week catechetical course for those who wished to know more about Christianity (whether for [[baptism]] or for interest). In time, a community of Orthodox Tartars (began in 2003) built up, and the information agency of St Akhmet began activity. Fr Daniel's church had initiatives such as an open house, where the church would be open and the priest available for questions. [[Moleben]]s were frequent, particularly for conversion of the non-Orthodox, and also for students at the nearby Moscow Engineering and Physical University. Fr Daniel later began to offer [[missionary ]] courses, preparing preachers of the [[Gospel]].

As rector of St. Thomas' church in southern Moscow, Fr Daniel was a noted [[missionary]], especially among the Muslim, neo-Pagans, and Protestants Protestant communities of Russia. As the Orthodox Church in Russia has come around to the importance of [[missionary ]] work in recent years, Fr. Daniel became known for his active [[missionary ]] work, particularly among non-Orthodox, and also for his bright polemic performances. He established an active [[missionary ]] movement, including training Orthodox street preachers. He had especially built a reputation as a priest who stood out for his proselytizing work among Russia’s Muslim community, baptising around eighty Muslims <ref>'''OrthodoxyToday.org'''. [http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/blog/2009/11/20/orthodox-priest-who-converted-muslims-murdered-in-russia/]</ref>.