At the beginning of the Dormition Fast, Bishop Iustin of Maramureș and Sătmar delivered a pastoral message urging priests, monastics, and faithful to dedicate themselves to prayer, repentance, and active participation in church services, while recalling that Romania is traditionally known as the “Garden of the Mother of God.”
In his message, Bishop Iustin described the two-week fasting period, which begins annually on August 1, as a spiritual journey culminating in the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Romania – the Garden of the Mother of God
“Christian Romania is ‘God’s Country,’ a land blessed and sanctified by confessing saints and our righteous forebears,” said Bishop Iustin, emphasising the deep veneration the Romanian people have historically shown toward the Mother of God.
He reminded the faithful that the Romanian land has rightly been called the “Garden of the Mother of God”, a title that reflects both the country’s spiritual heritage and its dedication to the Theotokos.
Call to Prayer and Repentance
Addressing clergy and laity, Bishop Iustin encouraged everyone to attend the daily Paraklesis service, calling it a “masterpiece of Orthodox hymnography”, and to pray fervently for peace, deliverance, forgiveness, and healing – especially in times marked by turmoil and moral confusion.
“We have all sinned, we have become unworthy together,” he said, urging sincere repentance and a revival of personal and communal prayer, both in monasteries and parishes.
The bishop also addressed parents directly, exhorting them to lead their children into the life of the Church and to protect them “from the demons who seek to steal their souls and their innocent lives.”
Invitation to Pilgrimage and United Prayer
Bishop Iustin invited all faithful to take part in pilgrimages and processions dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, noting that the united prayer of believers can soften divine wrath and bring blessings upon the world. He echoed the scriptural plea: “Could there not be ten righteous in the city for whom God would forgive the whole city?”
The message concludes with a blessing for a fruitful and holy fast, and the assurance that his Assistant Bishop Timotei of Sătmar, along with parish priests and monastics, are joined in continuous prayer, especially in monasteries “where the vigil lamp never goes out and unceasing prayer and liturgy rise constantly to heaven.”
Orthodox Christians began the Dormition Fast last Friday. It is one of the four major fasting periods observed annually in the Orthodox liturgical calendar.
Photo: Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar
