The Church of Martyrs and Confessors of Communist Prisons built within the National School for Prison Officers in Târgu Ocna, Romania, was consecrated on Saturday, May 14, 2022. The ceremony was part of a series of events marking 25 years since the establishment of this institution, which chose Martyr Prince Constantine Brâncoveanu as its spiritual patron.
The festal day started early in the morning with the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the open by His Eminence Teodosie, Archbishop of Tomis, at the school’s invitation.
His Eminence was joined in worship by military priests from all the prisons in the country and by clerics from the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău.
Vasile Scutaru, the manager of the National School for Prison Officers in Târgu Ocna, and Cristian-Aurelian Ciubotaru, the mayor of Târgu Ocna city, attended the liturgy and the consecration services which followed.
The Archbishop of Tomis prayed for the prison workers and for the forgiveness of the prisoners and for God to help them change their lives for better.
Chanting was offered by the Choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iași, while singer Paula Hriscu interpreted religious songs during the Communion.
Archbishop Teodosie spoke of the importance of religious services and religious counselling in prisons, emphasizing that “there are many who found faith in prison and became religious, while outside they were indifferent towards faith”.
A Commemoration Service was held afterwards in the memory of the founders of the church and that of the Confessors of Communist Prisons.
In the second part of the event, three consecration offices were officiated by His Eminence Ioachim, Archbishop of Roman and Bacău. He was joined by the Archbishop of Tomis and the Bishop of Covasna and Harghita.
The first consecration was that of the bust representing Martyr Prince Constantine Brâncoveanu, in the courtyard of the National School for Prison Officers, an institution which chose him as its patron saint. The ceremony was followed by the Prison Museum, located nearby.
The third consecration of the day was that of the wooden church dedicated to the Martyrs and Confessors of Communist Prisons. The holy place has been put under the protection of the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs and the Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.
The day ended with the awarding of the founders and contributors.
The date of the consecration was chosen to mark the National Remembrance Day of Martyrs of Communist Prisons (May 14).
Valeriu Gafencu, known as “the Saint of the Prisons” and Fr. Gherasim Iscu both gave their lives to the Lord at Târgu Ocna prison. The latter is on the canonization list of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church for the year 2025, marking 140 years of autocephaly.
The consecration of the new wooden church of the National School for Prison Officers in Târgu Ocna, dedicated to the memory of Martyrs and Confessors of Communist Prisons, was preceded on Friday by the reconsecration of the old chapel of the institution, which was officiated by Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita.
During the two days of ceremonies, participants were able to honour reliquaries with relic fragments of the Brâncoveanu Holy Martyrs and of the 40 de Martyrs of Sebaste, brought from Nechit Monastery in the county of Neamț, Romania.
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Photo credit: Facebook / TODY (opening photo)
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