The Mission of Holy Brancoveanu Martyrs in Fairfield, Connecticut celebrated its feast day on Saturday and Sunday, August 18-19, 2018, in the presence of HE Metropolitan Nicolae.
On Saturday evening, the Vespers service was performed by several priests under the direction of HE Nicolae.
HE Metropolitan Nicolae spoke to the faithful about the importance of the printing work of St. Constantin Brancoveanu for the promotion of the Romanian liturgical language by printing the first complete edition of the Holy Scripture in Romanian and several books of worship.
The Feast of the Mission continued on Sunday with the Divine Liturgy officiated by HE Nicolae.
The church was filled with faithful who, even far from the country they were born, strive to preserve the Orthodox faith and follow the example of Christian witness and sacrifice of the Brancoveanu Martyrs.
At the Lityrgy were also present Consul General of Romania in New York, Mr. Cătălin Dancu, and Mrs. Dana Bucin, Honorary Consul of Romania in Connecticut.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, HE Metropolitan Nicolae explained the Gospel of the Sunday about the right choice we must make in order to enter the Kingdom of God, namely to follow Christ, not the world. Then he spoke of St. Constantine’s mission and martyrdom, along with his four sons, Constantine, Stephen, Radu, Matthew, and Counselor Ianache.
Metropolitan Nicolae urged the believers to be confessors of the Orthodox faith on American soil, demanding the protection of the Holy Martyrs Brancoveanu.
Father Mihai Lazar was officially installed as a parish priest, Metropolitan Nicolae handing him the Holy Gospel, the holy cross and the keys of the church.
HE Nicolae urged the priest to take responsibility for the new mission, and the believers to help him and work together for the good cause of the mission.
Foto credit: The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
