Though young and possessed of a promising career, Saint George chose the confession of the faith over worldly advantage, becoming a model for Christians today, Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada said on Thursday at the patronal feast of the Episcopal Cathedral in Saint-Hubert.
“He is an example of choosing between career and faith,” the hierarch said of the cathedral’s heavenly protector, stressing at the same time that “witness cannot exist without the hope of eternal life.”
The bishop cited the words of the Saviour: “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18), noting that the opposition of the world should not surprise Christians, but rather strengthen them in patience and faith.
Bearing Witness to a Historical Reality
His Grace also underscored the authenticity of Christian witness, which is not an imaginary construct but refers to a historical reality:
“The witness of the Church is not founded upon a story, but upon a concrete, historical reality of the presence, life and saving work of Christ the Saviour among us.”
Recalling the testimony of the Holy Apostles, the hierarch noted that they bore witness to “Him Whom they had seen and heard,” thus grounding the faith in the direct experience of their encounter with Christ.
The Contemporary Relevance of Christian Witness
In the second part of his homily, the Bishop of Canada spoke about the enduring relevance of the example of the Holy Great Martyr George.
His Grace drew attention to contemporary forms of pressure, “not always violent, but at times ideological, constraining freedom of conscience.” In this context, the hierarch called the faithful to steadfastness and discernment.
His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian concelebrated with Fr Mircea Panciuk, Dean Emeritus; Protosyncellus Maxim Morariu, Ecclesiarch of the Diocesan Cathedral in Saint-Hubert; and other Romanian clergy from the region.
The cathedral’s second patronal feast is dedicated to Saints Epictetus and Astion.
Photo: Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
