During its working session last week, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church designated October 1 as a special Day of the Elderly.
The Day of the Elderly will be mentioned in the Orthodox calendar’s section for significant days and dates, the Patriarchate’s Press Office announced.
The decision to set a special day to raise awareness of the needs of older people was made in the context of the Solemn Year of the pastoral care of the elderly. October 1 also marks the International Day of Older People and the feast of the Protection of the Theotokos.
This year, most of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s activities, including pastoral, spiritual, and social-philanthropic endeavours, focused on the elderly.
“We find that this theme dedicated to the pastoral care of the elderly has aroused a lot of interest because we have many elderly people, and often, they suffer from loneliness more than anything,” said the Romanian Patriarch in last Thursday’s solemn meeting.
“The priest has remained, in many villages, the only person who visits the elderly more often and encourages them with a kind word. That is why it is essential to continue this care for the elderly in the coming years,” His Beatitude also noted.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
