On the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, the pericope of Saint Luke 8:26-39 was read at the Divine Liturgy which refers to the Healing of the demon-possessed man in the region of Gerasenes. His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church delivered a sermon during the religious service celebrated in which he emphasised the meaning of the evangelical pericope of the day.
The Patriarch of Romania affirmed that Christ, our Saviour, asks us to be missionaries and confessors wherever we are, to preach His love and tell everybody how much good God did to us.
“The Gospel of the day teaches us to confess God as merciful and benefactor and thank Him through prayer and good deeds. This is why the Holy Church thanks God, in her greatest and most comprehensive prayer, in the Divine Eucharistic Liturgy, for the known and unknown boons, shown or not, bestowed over us. We see in the Gospel of this Sunday that this man from the region of Gerasenes, who used to be possessed by demons, has become a missionary and confessor for us, a teacher of thanksgiving. Thus, Jesus Christ, our Lord, asks us to be missionaries and preachers wherever we are, to preach His love and tell everybody how much good God bestowed over us”, His Beatitude said.
The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church has also spoken about the life of Saint Dimitrios, the Myrrh Bearer.
“Saint Great Martyr Dimitrios is known as healer of diseases and helper of the Christians in time of trouble. He is venerated especially today in ‘Thessaloniki where his relics are, becoming the protector of Thessaloniki or Salonik city as it is called today. Saint Dimitrios, the great martyr whom we celebrate today, together with Saint Pious Dimitrios the New has been the protector of Bucharest city for a long time. This is how on 26 October, the feast of Saint Great Martyr Dimitrios is united with the feast of Saint Pious Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest and of the Patriarchal Cathedral, together with Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen.”
To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel congratulated all those who celebrated their name day.
“We pray Jesus Christ to give, for the prayers and intercessions of Saint Great Martyr Dimitrios, all those named Dumitru or Dumitra, or of derived names, good health, joy and help of God for keeping and confessing the right faith, for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for our salvation. Amen!”, His Beatitude said.
Next Sunday, the Orthodox Church will be on the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.
