His Beatitude Sawa, Metropolitan of Warsaw and all Poland, consecrated Sunday the renovated church of St John the Theologian in Supraśl Lavra, orthodox.pl reports. In accordance with Church Tradition, a particle of the relics of the local Saint Gabriel of Białystok, martyred at the age of six in 1690 in Poland, was embedded in the altar.
The church dedicated to Saint John the Theologian went through renovation for a long period beginning with 1993.
After the consecration, the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy followed, over which the Primate of Poland presided. The following hierarchs concelebrated: Archbishop James of Białostok and Gdańsk, Bishop Gregory of Supraśl, and Bishop Jerzy of Siemiatycze.
After the Divine Liturgy, a festive Moleben was also served to the Holy Hierarchs celebrated on February 12 according to the unrevised Julian calendar.
In his speech, His Beatitude Sawa referred to the constant efforts made in difficult times to reconstruct Supraśl Monastery. He expressed his wish and hope to consecrate the major church (katholikon) of the Annunciation, where frescoes are currently being restored.
Metropolitan Sawa thanked all involved in the repairs of St John the Theologian church and the day’s festivities. The Primate of the Polish Church went on reflecting on the day’s Prodigal Son Gospel reading, calling all who have left the Church to return to their Mother, because “the Orthodox Church is the path to life and salvation.” He recalled that the Orthodox Church survived in Poland only through the faith and sacrifice of their fathers, and thus the faithful are responsible for that which they received from their ancestors.
The same day, His Grace Bishop Gregory of Supraśl celebrated his name day.
