Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe celebrated the Mystery of Holy Baptism on Sunday for a 22-year-old Norwegian man and his newborn daughter.
The service took place at the Romanian Orthodox church on the island of Skjervøya, in northern Norway. The church is dedicated to Saints Leontius of Rădăuți, Jacob of Putna, and Pachomius of Gledin.
Bishop Macarie emphasised the importance of returning to Christ and welcoming Him into one’s life. “We rejoice in the conversion of our Norwegian brother Håkon Edvin and his daughter Aurora Iosefina, and in the return of souls to Christ, for what truly matters is to receive Christ, to give Him shelter in the home of our hearts, and to gain a dwelling in eternity, like Zacchaeus the tax collector,” the bishop said.
“We rejoice, and together we persevere even in these places, overcoming this fierce cold through the fervour of prayer,” he added.
On the same day, the hierarch also celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony for the newly baptised young man and his wife, Cristina, of Ukrainian origin, thus blessing the foundation of a new Christian family in the northern diaspora.
The faithful also had the opportunity to participate in the Mystery of Holy Unction, celebrated by Bishop Macarie in the presence of an assembly of clergy.
Photo: Facebook / Diocese of Northern Europe
