His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel arrived Saturday, March 24, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi to attend the canonization ceremony of Metropolitan Joseph the Merciful of Moldavia and the lay-ascetic George the Pilgrim.
His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan and an assembly of priests welcomed the Romanian Patriarch by officiating a Doxology (Te Deum) in the presence of many believers.
Metropolitan Teofan addressed the Patriarch ‘a welcoming thought to Iasi and Moldavia’ and spoke about the importance of the glorification ceremony for the Romanian Orthodox Church. His Eminence stressed that on the feast of the Annunciation, the believers receive several good tidings, including the canonization of the two new Saints and the Romanian Patriarch’s visit.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel noted that Metropolitan Iosif Naniescu was ‘a man of worship and culture; he was pious, learned, and was fond of books.’ That is why the people loved him much and called him ‘the kind’ and ‘the merciful’.
His Beatitude also spoke about the architectural style and the neoclassic church painting of the Cathedral in Iasi, which was re-founded by Metropolitan Joseph Naniescu.
Ending his speech, Patriarch Daniel thanked Metropolitan Teofan for the warm welcome and presented His Eminence with a metallic blessing cross, Omani frankincense, and several volumes published by the Romanian Patriarchate’s Publishing Houses.
According to the formal rite of glorification, a final memorial service was served for Metropolitan Joseph Naniescu and Elder George Lazar, after which Vespers and Matins with special hymns were chanted at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Photo courtesy of Doxologia
