“The Dormition of the Mother of God reveals to us the victory of life in Christ and her unceasing closeness to those who call upon her in prayer,” Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia said on Friday, when the Dormition was celebrated according to the unrevised calendar.
Metropolitan Antonie celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the parish’s patronal feast in Romanovca. Clergy from both sides of the Prut attended the service, including Archimandrite Nicodim Gheorghiță, abbot of Hadâmbu Monastery in Iași.
Metropolitan Antonie emphasised that “the mystery of the Incarnation reveals both the will of God and humanity’s free response: the Most Holy Virgin accepted the divine calling through obedience, humility and complete self-giving, becoming the Mother of the Incarnate Word and an image of the person who offers their entire life to God.”
The Metropolitan of Bessarabia noted that the faithful have entrusted many churches, institutions and cities to the protection of the Mother of God, something which “bears witness to the help received throughout the generations”.
A moment of blessing
Following the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Antonie celebrated the blessing of the crosses placed on the church domes and of the wayside cross erected in the parish courtyard. The service marked the completion of improvement works carried out recently with the support of Hadâmbu Monastery.
Metropolitan Antonie congratulated parish priest Fr Nicolae Tverdostup and the faithful for their care of the church and for completing the works.
He also recalled the parish priest’s considerable efforts, noting that Fr Nicolae had personally taken part in the church’s construction and had spent periods working abroad to help finance the continuation of the building work.
Fr Nicolae Tverdostup thanked Metropolitan Antonie for his presence, prayers and pastoral care, and expressed his gratitude to the abbot of Hadâmbu Monastery and the clergy who had travelled from Romania for their generous support of the parish.
Photo: Metropolis of Bessarabia
