Hierarchs from the Metropolis of Bessarabia were seen on Saturday shopping in various commercial centers—not for themselves, but for the Easter meals of families in need.
After expressing support last week for the national campaign “The Table of Joy” (Masa Bucuriei), the bishops are now directly involved in the initiative organized by the Diaconia Social Mission.
“Doing good is not just a moral calling, but a response to the love of Christ. Today, on the threshold of Holy Week, we urge you to share in the joy of the Resurrection by offering hope and support to those in need,” said Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia.
“The ‘Table of Joy’ campaign is a test for each of us—to see how generous we truly are,” added Bishop Antonie of Bălți.
Bishop Antonie was joined by Adrian-Mihail Tican, Acting Manager of the Romanian Consulate General in Bălți, who donated 2,000 Moldovan lei to the campaign. The initiative has been running for several years on Lazarus Saturday.
“In addition to the Divine Liturgy and the services held on this day, we sought to take part in the ‘Table of Joy’ campaign (…) It is a different kind of action, one that Diaconia Mission of the Metropolis of Bessarabia has been organizing for years on Lazarus Saturday,” said Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia in a statement for Trinitas TV during a special edition dedicated to the Palm Sunday Pilgrimage in Bucharest.
“Each bishop made a donation for those in need, blessed the donors present, and encouraged our volunteers. We thank them for their blessing, support, and involvement,” Diaconia representatives added.
As part of the same campaign in 2024, over 1,000 volunteers helped collect a record-breaking 57,811 kg of food. The donations were gathered from 103 stores across the Republic of Moldova. From these goods, more than 35,000 hot meals were served last year alone through the mobile soup kitchen “Close to the Neighbour”.
You can support Diaconia’s charitable efforts by donating through the mission’s official website.
Photo: Metropolis of Bessarabia
