His Grace Marc of Nemț, Assistant Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe, celebrated the Divine Liturgy last Friday for the patronal feast of the first Orthodox place of worship built by Romanians in France, in La Courneuve.
The church is dedicated to the Three Holy Hierarchs, who were honoured by the clergy and faithful through a vigil service followed by the Divine Liturgy.
The Three Holy Hierarchs are light
Assistant Bishop Marc of Nemț explained the role and importance of the Three Holy Hierarchs in the life of the Church and how they followed Christ, the Light of the world.
“We heard in the Gospel: You are the light of the world. This is exactly what the Three Holy Hierarchs were, because (…) they showed all those who listened to them how to receive the light of Christ and how to pass it on further,” the bishop said.
“The light that you hold in your hands through the candles symbolises faith in Christ and the Gospel teaching, which must not be extinguished once we leave the church.”
The parish priest, Mircea Filip, underlined the beauty of the liturgical celebration dedicated to the patrons of the church:
“In the evening hour, the vigil, the prayer, the Liturgy, the quiet chanting and the singing by candlelight bring joy and peace.”
The parish in La Courneuve
The Parish of the Three Holy Hierarchs in La Courneuve also hosts the Romanian School “Queen Marie”. A total of 120 children attend weekly classes in Romanian, history, geography, and mathematics.
The church also preserves a reliquary containing fragments of the relics of the Three Holy Hierarchs, dating back to the church’s consecration four years ago.
The church is located at 47 rue Georges Politzer, La Courneuve, France. The parish’s second patronal feast is the Protection of the Mother of God.
Photo: Facebook / Biserica Ortodoxă „Sfinţii Trei Ierarhi” – Paris
