Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday in Ungheni, marking the 56th anniversary of his monastic life, alongside two milestone celebrations of the local parish dedicated to Saint Joseph the Merciful, Metropolitan of Moldavia.
On this occasion, Fr. Gabriel-Andrei Gherasă, dean of the Ungheni parish, celebrated seven years of priestly ministry and three years since laying the cornerstone for the community’s new church.
In his homily, Metropolitan Petru spoke about Saint John Climacus and the spiritual ascent, addressing the struggle with sin, the falls, and the rising again, emphasizing that the Christian life is a continuous ladder toward God.
His Eminence also joyfully noted this young parish’s progress and activity, praising the clergy’s zeal and the faithful’s devotion, according to a report on the Metropolis of Bessarabia website.
The parish priest, who also serves as Administrative Vicar of the Archdiocese of Chișinău, thanked the Metropolitan for “his love, care, trust, and the living example he offers to the clergy of Bessarabia.”
“I pray that God may grant him many more years of peaceful and enlightened shepherding,” the vicar added.
Photo: Metropolis of Bessarabia
