The Romanian church in the town of Boian, Alberta, Canada, is being rebuilt after it was completely destroyed by fire in mid-2022.
A year and two months after the tragic loss, Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada visited the community to bless the foundation stone of the future church. The ceremony took place on the first Sunday of the Dormition Fast.
Bishop Ioan Casian reflected on the sorrowful day when the historic church burned down to its foundation.
“The news was shared not only among Romanians in Alberta but also throughout Canada and even in Romania, with His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressing his regret upon hearing the news. This church in Boian was already a part of Canadian culture, founded by the generation of immigrants who also helped build this country on the principles and moral and spiritual values of love, family, service, humanitarian acts, and mutual aid.”
“Today is significant because we are laying the foundation of a new church, blessing the reconstruction work that will begin in the coming days. We are now in a moment of joy and a new beginning,” emphasized the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada.
“We hope that next year we will gather here again to consecrate the new church according to the traditions of the Orthodox Church.”
“I urge you to support this community with your prayers and financial contributions in the spirit of love and solidarity,” Bishop Ioan Casian encouraged.
Boian is considered the oldest Romanian settlement in Canada, established by a group of Romanian immigrants from Bukovina at the beginning of the 20th century. The church that was destroyed last year dates back to 1905.
Photo: Diocese of Canada
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