Hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe concelebrated on Saturday at the patronal feast of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael in Paris.
Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe was joined in the Divine Liturgy by Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Bishop Siluan of Italy, Bishop Nectarie of Ireland and Iceland, Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț of the Archdiocese of Western Europe, and Assistant Bishop Teofil of Iberia from the Diocese of Spain and Portugal.
The service was attended by Romania’s Ambassador to France, Ioana Bivolaru, and Mihai Chirica, the Mayor of Iași.
Metropolitan Iosif thanked all those supporting the Romanian community in Paris and awarded Mayor Mihai Chirica the Metropolitan Cross distinction.
Concert and cultural events
On the eve of the feast, following Vespers, an extraordinary classical music concert was held at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church, performed by the Three Tenors of Iași.
Saturday also featured the opening of an exhibition marking the centenary of painter Paul Gherasim’s birth, and a lecture by Fr. Prof. Constantin Coman on the theme “To Love in Truth: Freedom, Responsibility and Self-Giving.”
On Sunday, priests’ families gathered with Fr. Coman for a discussion titled “Christian Life Between the Outward Man and the Inner Man.” The priest also presented the book Christian Morality by Greek theologian Georgios Mantzaridis.
About the Paris Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, located in the heart of Paris’s Latin Quarter, originated as the Chapel of the College of Beauvais, founded in the 14th century under King Charles V of France.
Purchased by King Carol I of Romania in 1882, the building was transformed into a Romanian Orthodox church. On 12 July 2009, it was reconsecrated by Patriarch Daniel of Romania, together with a group of hierarchs from Western and Southern Europe.
Photo: roarch.org.uk
