Saturday, 7 September 2013, a delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church left for Hungary, with the blessing of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, transporting the shrine of the holy relics of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen. From 7 – 9 September the holy relics will be on a pilgrimage to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Hungary on the occasion of the celebration of 240 years since the first documentary attestation of the Romanian Orthodox parish of Micherechi.
The holy relics are accompanied on the pilgrimage to Hungary by His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, and by rev archimandrite Nectarie Sofelea, abbot of Radu Voda Monastery of Bucharest.
On this occasion, His Beatitude showed that the presence of the holy relics in the Romanian Orthodox Eparchy of Hungary will bring joy to His Grace Bishop Siluan and to all the servants of the holy altars and faithful who will venerate the relics of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen next days.
The Patriarch of Romania showed that the transport of the holy relics on a pilgrimage by the delegation headed by His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul is a missionary work, just like the other religious events which will take place during this period in the Romanian Orthodox Eparchy of Hungary.
“It is a brotherly missionary work of communion in our faith and for strengthening the Romanian Orthodox spirituality because you will attend a re-consecration of a church in Micherechi city where many faithful will come willing to strengthen their Romanian faith and identity, spirituality and Christian culture” His Beatitude said.
“We wish you all the help of God in this work, for the prayers of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen and to come back home with much joy. We wish you safe journey and much joy in the work designed to strengthen the Orthodox faith and Romanian spirituality”, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church said in the end.
Tonight the holy relics will be met first in the Cathedral of Gyula of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Hungary, where the Vesper service united with the Litany will be celebrated. Sunday, feast of the Birth of the Mother of God, the shrine of the holy relics will be taken in procession to the Romanian Orthodox parish church of Micherechi, which celebrates 240 years since its first documentary attestation. On this occasion, the feast of the Birth of the Mother of God will be proclaimed within the Divine Liturgy as the second dedication day of the Orthodox parish church of Micherechi, besides the feast of the Saints Michael and Gabriel the Archangels.
Because the Romanian Orthodox faithful of some other parishes are also willing to venerate the holy relics, Sunday night, 17.00 hours, the shrine will be taken to the Romanian Orthodox parish church of Chitighaz, and Monday, 9 September, the holy relics will arrive at the chapel of the Romanian monastic settlement of “Saint John the Baptist” of Budapest.
Tuesday, the holy relics will leave for Romania.
