On 8 September 2014, feast of the Birth of the Mother of God, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Patriarchal Cathedral by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, together with His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, assisted by a group of priests and deacons. Hundreds of faithful were present at the Joy Hill on the occasion of this great feast of our Church dedicated to the Mother of God.
His Beatitude delivered a sermon in which he explained why this feast was scheduled on the 6th day of September: “This feast was scheduled on 8 September because the figure 8 is the symbol of eternity, higher than the perfection of this world symbolised by figure 7. As the troparion says, the Eternal Son of God who was made man out of love for humans and for their salvation came into the world through the Mother of God, so that Eternal life came into the world through her, namely Jesus Christ. This is how this feast opens a new church year because the Mother of God is the most blessed one among women and the fullest of grace too. The feast of her birth is a blessing at the beginning of the new church year and it shows us that the Church – whose living icon bearing Christ is the Mother of God – is shown in the world as living out of the blessing of God and of the prayers of the Mother of God for the salvation of the humankind, but especially for the salvation of the Christians.”
Mother of God is a spring of blessing
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the importance and help of the Mother of God.
The birth of the Mother of God, says the troparion, is joy for the whole world because the sun of the justice of Jesus Christ has risen out of her. The Mother of God is a spring of blessing through her prayers because she brings the grace of the Most Holy Trinity into the Church and gives it to the humans as mercy and aid. She is the protector of the virgins because she has remained ever virgin. She is the protector of the mothers because she gave birth to her Son Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. She is the protector of the clergy because Christ, our Lord, is the High Priest. But most of all she is the protector of the poor, of those in need, of those who suffer. As our books of rite say, the Mother of God is love with lowliness for those whom nobody loves and a source of hope. She is the protector of the widows, of the orphans, of the travellers, she is merciful to those who suffered or suffer a lot. She is the healer of the sick. Lots of sick people were saved from death throughout the history through the prayers of the Mother of God. The Mother of God is the protector of all people”, the Patriarch of Romanian said.
The birth of children is a great gift for a nation
His Beatitude has also urged the families of our country to give birth to children: On this day of the Birth of the Mother of God we are thinking of all the families who have children as well as of those who want to have children but they have not. The birth of children is a great gift for a nation. Many villages of Romania grew old because the young people went abroad and they give birth to children in Italy, Spain, or in other parts of the world, so that the population of our country is diminished day by day. This is why the feast of the Birth of the Mother of God is a good time for us to pray for those who have children to have more and for those who have not children to pray to have children because they are a great blessing for the Romanian people”.
To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel congratulated all those of the name of the Saint Virgin Mary: “We wish many years of life in good health, joy and much help of God to those named Maria or Marian or of other names derived. The Romanian people have over 2 million persons named Maria or Marian or of other names derived. 1.800.000 out of 2 million are women. There are few men named Marian, Marin or Marinica and of many other derived names. But most of them are named Maria. We wish them all many blessed years of life, with the help of God, for the glory of God and for the joy of the Church! Amen!”
During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude ordained Vasile Suraj Veselu priest for the parish of “Saint Hierarch Nicholas” – Baltita, deanery of Campina.
His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul has also ordained Catalin Marian Hangu deacon for the chapel of Floreasca Emergency Clinic Hospital, deanery district 1, Bucharest.
