His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Latakia (Patriarchate of Antioch) consecrated on Sunday evening the church of Putna Monastery’s metochion at Poiana Mănăstirii, Suceava County. “We are brothers in Christ. Nothing separates us,” the visiting hierarch said.
“We are one Body – the Body of Christ. And this Body is the Church. Even though we speak different languages and do not understand one another, and even though great distances separate us, nothing separates us in Christ. We are one, and we remain one,” the Antiochian Metropolitan explained.
“With God, there is no sacred language – neither Hebrew nor Greek, nor the Latin languages, such as Romanian or others. God listens to only one language, which is the language of the heart, the language of faith and sincerity. When we raise our prayers from our hearts, they are always heard by God.”
Christians are together in Christ
The Metropolitan of Latakia emphasised that nothing separates the Orthodox Christian community worldwide.
“Just as the Romanian people are dispersed throughout the world, so too are we Antiochians, throughout Europe, Australia, America, Africa and the entire world. Yet we are not afraid of this distance, because when we pray to the Lord Christ, we all come together, even with those who have departed to the Lord,” His Eminence said.
“In every prayer, in every Divine Liturgy, all the saints – both those who are alive and those who have fallen asleep in the Lord – are gathered together. Therefore, whoever prays with all their heart truly feels that all those whom they love are with them, even if they have passed into eternity.”
A Church severely tried by hardship
Metropolitan Athanasios thanked His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and His Eminence Archbishop Calinic of Suceava and Rădăuți for allowing him to serve during the celebrations connected with Putna Monastery’s patronal feast. He also expressed his appreciation for the devotion of the people of Bukovina.
“I rejoice to see this faithful, God-loving people. I will convey to the faithful in our country this wonderful image that I have seen here. Our churches in Syria are as old as the time when Christ walked upon the earth,” His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios said.
“Our faith remains steadfast regardless of the wars and persecutions taking place there. Of course, there is great suffering, and many of our churches and monasteries have been burned and emptied. Yet we have great hope that God is with us and that you remember us in your prayers.”
Honours for supporters of the monastery
Also concelebrating were His Grace Bishop Ieronim of Dacia Felix, His Grace Assistant Bishop Damaschin of Dorna of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, fathers of Putna Monastery and other clergy from the archdiocese.
The consecration was followed by a brief ceremony during which diocesan distinctions were presented to benefactors of the monastic dependency, as well as to other supporters of the monastery’s building and development projects.
New altar dedicated to the Mother of God
Archimandrite Melchisedec Velnic, Abbot of Putna Monastery, thanked everyone involved in constructing and renovating the dependency.
“Everything was accomplished with blessing, effort, love and sacrifice. Love on your part, and even greater sacrifice, also on your part,” the abbot said.
The newly consecrated church was dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God (1 October) and St Theoctistus the Venerable (3 September).
“Almost all the churches and this entire valley here are dedicated to the Mother of God, for the consolation and joy of us all,” Abbot Melchisedec Velnic said.
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Pimen of Suceava and Rădăuți, the foundation stone and the site of the church were consecrated by His Grace Bishop Calinic, then Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Iași, on 27 August 2004, the year marking the 500th anniversary of the repose of Holy Prince Stephen the Great, ruler of Moldavia and founder of Putna Monastery.
The consecration of the church of the monastic dependency at Poiana Mănăstirii formed part of this year’s programme of celebrations for the historic patronal feast of Putna Monastery.
Photo: Putna Monastery
