On Sunday, Archbishop-elect Atanasie celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the “Holy Great Martyr Menas” Parish in Leicester, United Kingdom, with the blessing of Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe.
The wealth of grace
In his sermon, the Archbishop-elect of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reflected on the Parable of the Rich Man and emphasized that “the wealth brought by the Lord is the wealth of grace.”
“The wealth brought by the Lord is the wealth of grace, the wealth of the heart, the wealth of being merciful, patient, justified in this world, the wealth of loving, forgiving, and giving yourself to others.”
“This is the wealth Christ brings into the world. That is why this Gospel is placed at the beginning of the Nativity Fast, to remind us that, on our journey to the Lord’s Nativity, we are called to let go of external riches and enrich ourselves spiritually—in Christ, in the Church, in the matters of the heart and soul.”
He added: “During this period of fasting, we are called to embrace asceticism, gradually renouncing material and dietary indulgences to make more room for spiritual growth.”
Distinguished attendees
Among those present at the Divine Liturgy were:
- Her Excellency Laura Popescu, Romanian Ambassador to the United Kingdom;
- Nicoleta-Loredana Teodorovici, Romanian Consul General in Manchester;
- Mihaela Nica, Labor and Social Affairs Attaché in the United Kingdom.
On October 25, 2024, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Italy, as the first Archbishop of the newly established Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Photo: Diocese of Italy
