The St Gregory the Theologian Parish in Schiedam/Rotterdam—the first Romanian Orthodox parish in the Netherlands—celebrated its patron saint and marked 45 years since its founding on Sunday.
On this occasion, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe, together with the parish priest, Ioan Dură, and Fr. Laurent Van Damme from the Saints Silouan and Martin Parish in Bruxelles.
The celebration was also attended by Nicolae Comănescu, Romania’s ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Constantin Grădinaru was ordained to the priesthood for the St Gregory the Theologian Parish.
Metropolitan Iosif expressed his joy at being with the community as it marked both 45 years since its establishment and 45 years since the ordination of its parish priest. He congratulated Fr. Ioan Dură for his extensive pastoral activity and awarded the Holy Princess Maria Brâncoveanu Association the “Metropolitan Cross for Laypeople,” in recognition of its ten years of service.
Fr. Ioan Dură thanked the Metropolitan and briefly presented the parish’s most important achievements. The celebration concluded with the singing of Hora Unirii (Hora of the Union), commemorating 167 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities.
The St Gregory the Theologian Parish in Schiedam/Rotterdam was founded by Fr. Ioan Dură on January 25, 1981.
Photo: St Gregory the Theologian parish in Schiedam/Rotterdam
