A new Romanian parish has been established in Aylesbury, UK. On Sunday, the Romanian Orthodox Auxiliary Bishop of Italy, His Grace Atanasie of Bogdania, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the new community.
The parish is dedicated to the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women. His Grace Atanasie of Bogdania installed the priest Iulian Rusu as parish priest and ordained a deacon for the Romanian parish in Oxford.
Members of the Tronos Psaltic Group of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, Romania gave the liturgical responses.
His Grace Atanasie emphasized the importance of preaching and understanding the Mystery of the Resurrection through the image of the Myrrh-bearing women, who showed fearlessness, fidelity and full commitment, being with Christ in the pain of the Passion, in the silence of death, the first to taste the joy of the Resurrection.
The new parish was established with the blessing of His Eminence Joseph, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe.
The first religious service officiated in the Aylesbury community was held on November 28, 2018, to mark the Centenary of the Great Union of Romania. On the same year’s Christmas Eve, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, with about 80 Romanian faithful attending.
A Romanian Orthodox mission has been established ever since in the community and services have been held regularly on major holidays.
Photo credit: Aylesbury Parish
