His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Romanian Orthodox Parish in Lugano, Switzerland, a community composed of faithful from several nationalities.
The metropolitan presided over the service in the presence of more than 170 members of the Orthodox community from Lugano and neighbouring localities.
Among those attending were Ion Marin, Honorary Consul of Romania in Lugano; Andreea Guțu, Chargé d’Affaires of Romania to Switzerland; Alberto Mocetti, former director of the Breganzona High School of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lugano; and Gino Driussi, founder of the Working Community of Christian Churches in the Swiss Canton of Ticino and a collaborator with Swiss Radio (RSI).
In his homily, Metropolitan Iosif emphasised the importance of preserving the Orthodox faith and of bearing witness to Christian values in contemporary society, encouraging the faithful to remain steadfast in the liturgical life and in communion with the Church.
As All Saints Sunday was being observed, he stressed that Christians should dedicate their hearts to God and that true love for God and fidelity to Christ’s Cross teach believers how to love others and to carry their own personal cross.
More Than Three Decades of Existence
The Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe encouraged Fr Bogdan Constantin Dincă, the parish priest, and the faithful to persevere in prayer, fasting and unity as they seek to acquire their own church building.
“This event marks a special moment in the history of our community, crowning 31 years since the establishment of the multi-ethnic Orthodox community in Lugano and 40 years since the founding of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Italian-speaking Switzerland,” Fr Bogdan Constantin Dincă said.
“These anniversaries reflect the fruitful pastoral work carried out by the parish and the community over the decades and bear witness to the continuity of Orthodox life in this part of Switzerland.”
For more than three decades, the Lugano parish, located in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking region, has celebrated its liturgical services in a church building belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
The community is dedicated to St John the New of Suceava and worships at Chiesa Madonnetta in Lugano.
The church address is Chiesa Madonnetta, Via Madonnetta 13, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland.
Photo: Romanian Parish in Lugano
