On the 15th anniversary of the passing away into the Lord of Father Archimandrite Cleopa Ilie, Monday, 2 December 2013, the great spiritual father of the Romanian nation was commemorated in the Patriarchal Cathedral. The memorial service was officiated by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania. His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramureș and Sălaj, His Eminence Ciprian, Archbishop of Buzău and Vrancea, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Argeș and Muscel, His Eminence Casian, Archbishop Lower Danube, His Eminence Timotei, Archbishop of Arad, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, His Grace Varlaam Ploieșteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, His Grace Ioachim Băcăuanul, Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău, priests and deacons.
“May the Good God help us that his commemoration, now at the 15th anniversary of his passing away, be for us a time of thanksgiving to God for the gift that He made to the Romanian people, our Church and the whole of Orthodoxy in the person and work of father Cleopa Ilie. Let us strengthen our faith and increase our prayer, piety and good deeds as his light poured into the Church as a guide over time, since father Cleopa, who prayed a lot in this world, will surely pray for us and for our Church in Heaven, too”, said His Beatitude.
The memorial service was attended by the permanent members of the National Church Council and the Diocesan Council of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, priests, teachers, monks, nuns, students and believers.
The Commemorative moment organized at the Romanian Patriarchate and dedicated to the personality of Father Archimandrite Cleopa Ilie will continue at 11.00 am in the Europa Christiana Hall of the Palace of the Patriarchate, with the opening of bibliophile and photographic exhibition in the memory of the great confessor of Sihăstria monastery.
