On December 3, marking the feast day of one of Cernica Monastery’s Saints, the Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova enthroned Protosyncellus Vasile Parjol as new abbot of the monastery.
The enthronement ceremony took place after the festive Divine Liturgy.
In his speech, Bishop Timotei of Prahova urged the new spiritual leader of the monastic community at Cernica to be a zealous monk, to love the divine services of the Church and to be vigilant as his predecessor, the Holy Abbot George of Cernica and Caldarusani.
Saint George was the abbot of Cernica and Caldarusani Monasteries and was glorified by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in 2005.
Saint George, Bp Timotei said, remains in the history of the monastery as ‘a treasure of great price.’
‘He had a life full of feats, he knew great elders and was also very obedient. Therefore, the abbot George was first of all a fervent monk who lived for many years in Mount Athos and at the renowned monasteries in Moldova such as Dragomirna, Secu and Neamț,” the bishop emphasized.
St George was a member of Vatopedi Monastery where he got in touch with Saint Paisios Velichkovski.
In 1781, Saint Gregory the Teacher, who was at that time Metropolitan of Wallachia, appointed St George as abbot of Cernica Monastery.
St. George had clear principles by asking his monks for perfect obedience, Bishop Timotei explained. The community he was leading was full of zeal, and the monks he had formed never left the monastery.
In 1793, Metropolitan Filaret II entrusted to him the leadership of Căldărușani Monastery.
Saint George of Cernica and Caldarusani is commemorated every year on December 3.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
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