On Monday morning, believers gathered at St. Nicholas – Tabacu Church in Bucharest to honour Saint Matrona on the 70th anniversary of her blessed repose.
“It was a special atmosphere because the service took place in the early morning hours, by candlelight, during this Easter period, immediately after we saw that the Apostle Thomas believed in the Resurrection and confirmed it to us,” parish priest Eugeniu Rogoti told Basilica.ro.
“The service was attended by believers who love the saint, including Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox believers. We prayed together for peace during this Paschal period,” Father Eugeniu Rogoti added.
The Divine Liturgy was followed by a memorial service for the church founders. During the service, priest-martyr Aurel Munteanu was also remembered on his 140th birth anniversary.
The Romanian Orthodox Church included Saint Matrona in its church calendar in 2018. Since then, the saint’s feast has been celebrated every year in this holy place frequented by the Russian community in Bucharest.
Saint Nicholas- Tabacu Church keeps a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov, and an icon of Saint Matrona painted by Hieromonk Antipa Burghelea from St Anthimos Monastery.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
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