“We pray to the Lord Jesus Christ who ascended into Heaven to elevate the souls of these true martyrs of the nation, and their example to be a light in our lives because they follow the example of the sacrifice of the Saviour Jesus Christ,” said the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Ieronim of Sinaia at the memorial service for Romania’s heroes officiated on Thursday at the Chapel of the National Cathedral.
The hierarch presided over both the liturgy on the occasion of the main patron saint of the National Cathedral and the memorial for the martyrs of the Romanian people.
His Grace urged those present to have national heroes as role models.
‘Let their example inspire us all to keep our faith, customs, language and nation to the letter, Bishop Ieronim added May 28.
Patriarch Daniel’s delegate at the event explained that we must not forget our history. “Let us remember our history; let us not forget the important moments of our nation and also let us love all the spirituality and culture that clothes this nation.”
The patriarchal auxiliary bishop reiterated in his sermon the importance of the National Cathedral for the spirituality of the Romanian people and called it a “national and dignified objective”, adding that “it is not an ambition of our generation, but a desire born many centuries ago.”
He recalled that the cathedral is dedicated to the national heroes who sacrificed themselves ” to preserve our faith, identity, traditions and language.”
“It fitted to erect an altar for the glory of God, an altar to thank Him for the gifts he gave to the Romanian people, an altar to remember all those who sacrificed themselves for the dignity and unity of our people, for our country’s independence, for the preservation of the Romanian law which meant our right faith with which we crossed the centuries and which gave us the strength to overcome the vicissitudes.”
The names of all the known Romanian heroes who sacrificed their lives in the War of Independence of 1877-1878, in the Balkan wars of 1913, in the First and Second World Wars, as well as the names of the founders of the 1918 Great Union, are placed inside the National Cathedral’s altar table.
“Of course, God knows those whose names we do not know. And those who sacrificed themselves for the nation will not lose their memory. So, the names of all the heroes of the nation are placed for remembrance at the throne of this first altar of our Church and nation.”
Their names can be found on the Trinitas TV website in a special section entitled “Sacrifice Is Their Name.”
The building built on Arsenal Hill is called the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral and is a desideratum of Romanians over 140 years, from the time of King Carol I.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
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