A new Romanian Orthodox Mission was established in Oakville last week, dedicated to the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen and Saint Paisios (Velichkovsky) of Neamț. On the third Sunday of Lent, Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the community’s place of worship.

The bishop blessed the church and presented an antimension on Saturday. Fr. Petre Busuioc, a diocesan inspector, acquainted the community with parish priest Marian Costinel Iacobut, who served as his colleague at the Oshawa parish.

Founded on the third Sunday of Lent

On Sunday, Bishop Ioan Casian and the two priests celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church.

“It is important to think that this new mission is founded on the third Sunday of Great Lent, called the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross,” the bishop said in his sermon.

“For us, the cross symbolises our faith because by making its sign, we confess what we believe – the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ, the Son of God, for us and our salvation. This Sunday, placed in the middle of Great Lent, represents the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in paradise, which shows us that the path to meeting God in His resurrection celebrated on Easter night can only be made through the Cross of Christ.”

Her Excellency Oana Gherghe, Consul General of Romania in Toronto, and Consul Florentin Titov-Gherghe participated in this historic moment for the Romanian community in Oakville and its surroundings.

“It’s always a joy to be with the Romanian community at new beginnings,” said the consulate’s representatives.

Photography courtesy of the Diocese of  Canada

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