In a message for the third Sunday after Pascha, April 30, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his gratitude to all Christian women for their work in the Church and society.

The Holy Myrrhbearers are models for Christian women: full text

Christ is risen!

On the third Sunday after the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, the Orthodox Church honours the Myrrhbearing women, who were the first to receive from the angels the news that the crucified Christ has risen from the dead.

The Myrrh-bearing women have become brave confessors of the Lord’s resurrection, being called in the hymns of our Church “the women disciples of the Lord” (Troparion of the Resurrection, tone 4).

The icon of this Sunday depicts the Mother of God surrounded by myrrh-bearing women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary of Cleopas, Joanna, Salome, Susanna, Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus.

They are intercessors for all Christian women who profess their faith in Jesus Christ, who “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Thus, the Theotokos, the Holy Myrrbearers, the female martyrs, the venerable women, queens, and all the other holy women enlisted in the church calendar serve as authentic models for the faithful women who strive in their families or monasteries, in schools, hospitals or other institutions to fulfil their vocation or mission to be actual lights, kindled for the light of the risen Christ.

That is why, to highlight the role and importance of Christian women in the life and mission of the Church and Romanian society, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church declared the third Sunday after Pascha as Christian Women’s Sunday beginning with 2020.

Therefore, we thank the mothers and grandmothers, female educators, professors, teachers of Religion and all retired teaching staff who taught us religious education through their very lives, related to confessing Christ and helping others, both at home and in kindergartens, elementary schools, high schools and universities.

On Sunday, May 14, 2023, the Romanian Orthodox Church will observe the National Day of Family to emphasise that the natural family, consisting of a man and a woman, blessed by God through the Sacrament of the Holy Marriage, is the only one able to give birth, to raise and educate children healthily, with much faith, hope and Christian love.

For this reason, it is necessary to rediscover and reaffirm the authentic landmarks of education, which are fulfilled in harmony with the practice of prayer as a source of fellowship and unwavering love in the family, in school, and in society, and as a permanent link between generations.

In 2023, which the Romanian Patriarchate has proclaimed to be the Solemn Year of Pastoral Care for the Elderly, we gratefully remember all the women who work in medical units, social centres, daycare centres and residential settlements, home care services for the elderly, where they bring relief to the sick, and encouragement to the poor and lonely.

The Church is called to expand its pastoral programme for the elderly, implement modern missionary techniques, and grow closer to the requirements and expectations of the elderly.

At the same time, the growth and education of the young must be maintained so as not to abandon the elderly in care facilities because the young and the elderly need each other: the elderly require consolation and a word of encouragement, whereas the young require the wisdom, patience, and prayerful power of the older individuals.

On the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers and the holidays dedicated to Christian women and the family, we address women of all ages with words of benediction and gratitude for their extensive and beneficial service to the Church and society.

In addition, we congratulate them and wish them many years of good health and happiness, peace and joy, for many blessed years!

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro