“To see Christ in the light of His divinity, we too must ascend a Mount Tabor,” Assistant Bishop Iachint of the Pacific of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand said on Thursday at his first Divine Liturgy celebrated in New Zealand.
Addressing the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Christchurch, New Zealand, His Grace explained that the Transfiguration of the Lord was the revelation of Christ’s divine nature to His disciples rather than a change in His nature.
“This event, in which Christ was transfigured before His disciples, is recounted by both the Holy Apostle Matthew and the Apostle Mark, and shows how Christ revealed Himself to mankind as God, in all the light and radiance of His divine being.”
Referring to the three apostles who accompanied the Saviour to Mount Tabor, the assistant bishop highlighted the virtues that made them witnesses of this divine revelation: St Peter’s faith, St James’ courage, and St John’s love.
A state of inner stillness
Bishop Iachint stressed that the Transfiguration does not mean Christ became someone else.
“The Lord Jesus Christ remains the same. When we say that He was transfigured, we do not mean that His person changed, but that His true countenance was revealed.”
“What makes the difference in how we—and they—see Christ is the state of our own soul,” Bishop Iachint of the Pacific said.
The bishop spoke about the importance of prayer and inner stillness, explaining that the hesychast tradition remains as relevant today as ever.
“Hesychasm is essentially a state of inner peace that Christians seek to acquire through continual prayer, in accordance with the exhortation of the Apostle Paul: ‘Pray without ceasing!'”
An opportunity for spiritual renewal
The assistant bishop also drew attention to the restlessness that characterises contemporary society.
“Anyone who seeks salvation first seeks inner peace. Unhappiness often springs from profound agitation and constant noise.”
Concluding his homily, Bishop Iachint encouraged the faithful to use the feast as an opportunity for renewal.
“May today’s feast become for you a true occasion to renew your life, to clothe yourselves in the radiance of the divine glory that the Apostles physically beheld on Mount Tabor. May your prayer become a genuine source of closeness to God, of peace, joy, and inner tranquillity.”
Romanian parish in Christchurch
The Romanian Orthodox Parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Christchurch was established in 2004. After the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, the community lost the church building it had purchased from the Māori Anglican Archdiocese.
Beginning in 2013, the faithful established a new chapel and parish facilities in a complex formed by two houses relocated from earthquake-affected areas. Since September 2018, the parish has been served by Fr Dan Grădinaru.
The Romanian community’s church in Christchurch was consecrated on 20 August 2023 by Bishop Mihail of Australia and New Zealand.
Photo: Diocese of Australia and New Zealand
