Many believers were present on Monday 15 May 2017, at the Putna Monastery where the first Liturgy was celebrated in honor of Metropolitan Saint Jacob of Putna. Those present had the opportunity to venerate his holy relics and that of the Venerable Saints Silas, Paisios and Nathan, which were placed next to the church of the monastery.
The service was celebrated by His Eminence, Metropolitan Teofan, together with five other hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Concelebrants for the Divine Liturgy included:
His Eminence, Archbishop Teodosie of Tomis;
His Eminence Pimen, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuţi;
His Grace Nicodim, Bishop of Severin and Strehaia;
His Grace Macarie, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Northern Europe;
His Grace Paisie of Lugoj, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Timişoara.
In his sermon, Metropolitan Teofan highlighted the involvement of St Jacob of Putna in the publication of books and in the building of schools, doxologia.ro reports.
The Holy Hierarch often said that a child without school is a lost child. At a time when a few people were able to read and schools were a rarity, the great hierarch printed an ABC study book, and he set up the first rural school in our country at Putna. In accordance with the sayings of St Maximos the Confessor, Saint Jacob was aware that ignorance and lack of knowledge are the root of all evil in this world, His Eminence said.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Melchisedec Velnic, the abbot of the Putna Monastery, reminded everybody that the great Metropolitan Jacob cared greatly about this place of worship which was founded by Saint Stephen the Great.
Father Melchisedec Velnic said that when he came to serve as bishop and then as Metropolitan of Moldova, St Jacob began the work of restoration of the Putna Monastery by framing the icon of Virgin Mary in silver, and by removing it from the iconostasis and bringing it into the middle of the church for venerațion. Metropolitan Jacob acknowledged Virgin Mary is Mother and Protectress of Putna.
On May 15, 2017, the relics were carried in a pilgrimage from the Putna Monastery to the Sihastria of Putna Monastery. Here, the first Vigil in honour of the Venerable Saints Silas, Paisios and Nathan, was celebrated.
Translated by Bogdan Neacșiu
Edited by Basilica.ro
