The Holy Hierarch Andrei Şaguna, the founder of the Metropolis of Transylvania, was celebrated during a Divine Liturgy in Sibiu on Tuesday.
This year marks ten years since the canonization of Saint Andrew Şaguna, whose relics are kept at the Orthodox Cathedral in Sibiu. Thanks to him, Transylvania remained in the faith of the Apostle Andrew, archdeacon Ioan I. Ică jr. said.
Metropolitan Laurentiu of Transylvania presided over the Divine Liturgy.
Concelebrants included His Eminence Archbishop Irineu of Alba Iulia, His Grace Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita, and His Grace Assistant Bishop Nestor of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara.
Archdeacon Prof. Ioan I. Ică jr. offered the sermon. “We have a wonderful and amazing holiday. It is a birthday celebration for the Romanian Christian people. It is a day of resurrection at the same time,” he said on Nov. 30.
“If we have remained in the faith of the Apostle Andrew if we have remained Orthodox, it is thanks to this holy and amazing man, Andrew Saguna, who revived Orthodoxy in this corner of the world,” the archdeacon stressed.
After the service, Metropolitan Laurenţiu evoked the spiritual personality and the singular mission of the one who became the patron saint of Transylvania ten years ago.
“Everything we have now, even this Cathedral, which was an unfulfilled ideal of his, but for which he raised money so that his descendants made this great place of worship in four years, is due to the Holy Hierarch Andrew Saguna,” said the Metropolitan of Transylvania.
“We have the printing house where the oldest newspaper with continuous publication in our country is printed, the Romanian Telegraph. We have all the schools under his protection, headed by one of the best colleges that our country has now, the National College “Andrei Saguna” in Brasov,” His Eminence continued.
“All these are nothing but the fruits of a sacrifice, of a constant dedication to the Romanian people so that they may be raised through education, to be guided in their spiritual life, because he took care of all the parishes in the Metropolis of Transylvania so that we can rejoice, provided we are a cultured people, for the freedom he had won for us and especially for the unity of the Romanian people,” the Metropolitan of Transylvania added.
His Eminence Metropolitan Laurențiu awarded Șaguna’s Cross for Clergy to Father Petru-Toader Damian, Dean of Sălişte.
The liturgical answers were offered by the “Timotei Popovici” Choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu, conducted by Fr. Dan-Alexandru Streza.
A group of young people from the Association of Romanian Orthodox Christian Students – Baia Mare sang carols.
A memorial service was held in memory of all hierarchs of the Metropolis of Transylvania, as well as of Bishop Gurie Georgiu, the founder of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara, who passed away on October 21, 2021.
Photography courtesy of the Metropolis of Transylvania
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