The Abbot of the Romanian Skete of the Honourable Forerunner on Mount Athos presented His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel with a replica of the Prodromitissa Wonderworking icon of the Mother of God to be enshrined in the newly-consecrated National Cathedral.
A precious gift for the Cathedral
Visiting Romania on the occasion of the inauguration of the National Cathedral, the Athonite Elder Athanasios Prodromites met with Patriarch Daniel on Tuesday, November 26, 2018, at his patriarchal residence in Bucharest.
‘Thank you for your devotion to this holy icon of the Prodromitissa Mother of God,’ the Patriarch said expressing his joy for receiving the replica of the icon as ‘a precious gift for the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral.’
Confessing the Orthodox faith in Romanian language
His Beatitude urged the monastics from Mount Athos to continue to confess the Orthodox faith in the Romanian language.
‘We entreat the help of the Mother of God and of all the Saints to help you continue to confess the Orthodox faith in our Romanian language,’ he said.
‘We are glad that you shared our joy and we invite you every year to the solemnity of the Prodromitissa in Bucharest,’ the Patriarch added.
A token of gratitude
Elder Athanasios noted that ‘for the monastic community of the Romanian Skete of the Honourable Forerunner, the consecration of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral is a history page written in gold.’
‘This day, which is very important to us, will remain in the registers of the Romanian Prodromos Skete and of the Holy Mount Athos,’ he said.
This icon ‘represents a token of gratitude to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for the sustained effort in completing the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral,’ the Abbot said.
The replica of the icon was painted in the workshops of the Prodromos Skete, being plated in silver in Athens.
The Feast of the Prodromitissa Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated on July 12, according to the revised Julian calendar.
Photography courtesy of Mircea Florescu / Basilica.ro
