During his homily on Sunday, May 12, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel explained that the consecration service makes a church the gift of humans for God, and a gift of the Heavenly Father offered to us humans.
The Patriarch of Romania offered these remarks at the consecration of a church at Turnu Monastery, a monastic settlement reopened in 1997.
Patriarch Daniel pointed out that before the consecration ceremony every church ‘is our gift for the Holy Trinity, for Christ and His Saints,’ being an offering of earthly things, of brick and cement.
Following its consecration, a place of worship becomes the gift made by God to humans ‘because in this place we receive the forgiveness of sins, the beginning of eternal gladness and the provision of eternal life.’
Quoting a passage from the consecration service, the patriarch noted that the sanctification of the church ‘is a great work, a source of blessings,’ which pour out upon those who attend the event.
‘This house has been founded by the Father, this house has been made firm by the Son, this house has been renewed by, the Holy Spirit, which illumines and supports, and hallows our souls.’
‘The Holy Spirit hallowed it and hallowed our souls,’ His Beatitude commented.
Hundreds of believers attended the consecration service performed at the Orthodox monastery in Prahova County.
Concelebrant for the consecration service was the patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti, who previously celebrated the Divine Liturgy.
Photography courtesy of Lumina Newspaper
