The delegation of the Orthodox Church of Greece led by His Eminence Pavlos, Metropolitan of Drama, arrived in Bucharest this evening, 22 October 2015, and brought the reliquary with the relics of the Three Holy Hierarchs fromSt PaulMonastery of Holy Mount Athos, on the Feast of Saint Pious Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest.
The Greek delegation was received by His Eminence Hon Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Târgovişte. Next, a solemn Polychronion service was officiated in the official lounge of theHenri CoandăAirport in Bucharest.
In the end, His Eminence Hon Metropolitan Nifon delivered a welcome speech:
“Your Eminence, beloved guests, these days you will have the occasion to see a multitude of pilgrims, because pilgrimage actually represents an action of faith in order to strengthen godliness, faith and solidarity with Christians from all over the world. We see that Saints gather us all. Saints put together peoples and people who believe in the salvific truth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Therefore, we will rejoice these days, and because of this joy we express our gratitude for the effort of coming from Greece, Your Eminence and the athonite fathers”.
In his turn, Monk Nikodemos, representative of St Paul Monastery of Holy Mount Athos, thanked for being welcomed and expressed gratitude to the Romanian Patriarch for the invitation to come to Romania.
“Your Eminence, with great joy we are today on the territory of Romania. We come with the blessing of His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, with the blessing of the Holy Epistasia of Mount Athos and with the blessing and the prayers of our abbot of St Paul Monastery of Mount Athos. Responding to the invitation that His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel addressed to us, we have brought the holy relics of the Three Holy Hierarchs from Mount Athos to the city Bucharest. St Paul Monastery, where we come from, has this blessing of keeping the relics of the Three Holy Hierarchs. Faith has no boundaries. Saints are our common parents, of all Orthodox Christians. We thank you very much, Your Eminence, for welcoming us. Therefore, we address thanks to the Patriarch of Romania, being the one with the initiative to bring to Romania the relics of the Three Holy Hierarchs, and we joyfully expect the day of tomorrow to meet His Beatitude”.
The delegation of the Greek Orthodox Church will participate in the events that will take place on the Feast of St Pious Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest.
To be mentioned that the reliquary brought from Greece will be placed tomorrow in the baldachin located next to the Patriarchal Cathedral so that pilgrims will be able to venerate the holy relics.
