Basilica News Agency Director ordained a hierodeacon at National Cathedral's Chapel

A few days after taking his monastic vows, Monk Nicolae Iftimiu, Director of the Basilica News Agency, was ordained a hierodeacon. Auxiliary Patriarchal Bishop Paisie of Sinaia officiated the ordination on Saturday, Dec. 16, at the National Cathedral Chapel.

“We have good hope that he will respond properly to this call,” the hierarch said at the end of the service. His Grace also explained the Sacrament of Ordination, its origin and the meaning of the Greek term deacon.

“By receiving the grace of diaconate, Father Nicolae chose to serve God and the Church,” His Grace emphasised.

The event was attended by the hierodeacon’s parents, his confessor father, Archimandrite Siluan Antoci from Brusturi Monastery, as well as by co-workers, acquaintances and collaborators.

“The deacon assumes in equal measure the service of God and the service of people,” said His Grace Paisie of Sinaia.

The hierarch noted that “in addition to serving at meals, at the agape meals of joy, deacons also had the ministry of preaching the Gospel of Christ and even baptizing.”

“From ancient times, in the services of the Church, deacons had the mission of assisting the apostles, bishops and priests in the celebration of the sacraments, as well as visiting and helping the sick, the widows, the needy and the poor.”

Ordination is public but a Sacrament of the Church

“The ordination is public and takes place during the Divine Liturgy and in front of everyone because the deacon – in our case, hierodeacon Nicolae – will publicly serve all the faithful of the Church, and the community of faith must recognise the newly ordained as having another status, that of a father and a servant,” His Grace said.

However, “although Ordination is publicly officiated, it is a Holy Sacrament that is lived inwardly, in the soul of the newly ordained,” the hierarch added.

“He who receives the Sacrament worthily is divinely changed, spiritually transformed, cleansed and sanctified to serve God.”

To stress the importance of the ordination, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop referred to the Old Testament times, when a group of 250 rebellious men, led by Korah, wanted to serve without actually being priests. The Scripture says, “They go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

We cannot play at being a priest with God

“We cannot play at being a priest with God,” His Grace Paisie of Sinaia said.

“Korah meant ice in ancient Hebrew. If we have an icy, calculated, proud heart and if our eyes are looking more towards income, social position and vain praise, we cannot truly serve God. God wants godly, faithful, humble servants.”

“Our brother, Hierodeacon Nicolae, is called to this holy service today, and we have good hope that he will respond appropriately to this call.”

His Grace Bishop Paisie noted that the 36-year-old Hierodeacon Nicolae is a patriarchal counsellor passionate about theological culture, church music and foreign languages.

Ultimately, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop wished the new hierodeacon “a holy, saving ministry for the benefit of the Church and the glory of God”.

Hierodacon Nicolae Iftimiu is a graduate of the “Patriarch Justinian” Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest and of the Faculty of International Economic Relations at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. Since September 2015, he has been the director of the Romanian Patriarchate’s Basilica News Agency. In addition to his work at Basilica.ro, Father Nicolae has been chanting for the last nine years as a member of the Anastasis Byzantine choir of the National Cathedral Chapel.