The Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago celebrated, on May 19-21, 20 years of existence.
The celebration began on Friday evening, when Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Nicolae officiated a Te Deum service with His Eminence Peter, Archbishop of Chicago and the Mid-East (ROCOR), and His Grace Timothy, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.
On Saturday, Romanian Metropolitan Nicolae of the Americas officiated de Vespers with Romanian Orthodox Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada, Archim. Melchisedec Velnic, the abbot of Putna Monastery (Romania), Protos. Ieremia Berbec, the abbot of Middletown Monastery (New York), Protos. Andrei Jilcu, the abbot of the Romanian monastery of Aldeia de Santa Margarida in Portugalia, and many other clerics, among whom the fathers from the Romanian Cathedral in Chicago: Hierom. Gavriil and Andrei, respectively Fr. David Hudson, Vasile Moldovan and Nicolae Cărbune.
The Putna abbot came to the Chicago patronal feast with other four monks from the Romanian monastic community, bringing a fragment of the Holy Hierarch Jacob of Putna’s relics to be honoured by the faithful.
On Sunday, Metropolitan Nicolae celebrated the Divine Liturgy and spoke about the Healing of the blind man and about Holy Emperors Constantine and Helena, the protectors of the holy place.
The healing of the blind man is gradual, His Eminence explained: “First is the healing of the blind man’s carnal eyes by anointing with clay and washing in the waters of Siloam. To the question of those who knew him about the way in which he was healed, the blind man answers by talking about the man Jesus who did this”.
“Not long after the investigation of the elders of the temple, the religious authorities, the blind man recognizes Jesus as a prophet. And finally, after he is cast out, he acquires the true knowledge of who Jesus is – that is the Son of God – at His invitation and call.”
“The capacity or vocation of the Old Testament was to lead man to the encounter with Christ the Son of God from which the true knowledge of God will spring. This is how we can say that the transition from looking at the world and reality to its true contemplation and understating involves the encounter with God. We see this also in the case of St. Paul. Until he met Christ on the road to Damascus,” continued Metropolitan Nicolae.
„The same thing happens to St. Constantine the Great. His mother, St. Helen certainly contributed to his Christian education, but a radical turning point can be seen in his life after seeing the sign in the sky.”
“We see that for the acquisition of contemplation, of vision, that is, that understanding of what is happening in the world, in life, in the events that surround us, we need that encounter with God in the particular way of each one,” added the Romanian Metropolitan of the Americas.
„As a result of meeting and seeing God, we will become servants of God and witnesses of His resurrection, apostles of salvation in Christ. The Church is the place that offers us the possibility of meeting God through the words of the Holy Scriptures, in the Holy Mysteries, but especially in the Divine Liturgy,” emphasized His Eminence.
During the liturgy, Alexandru Lazăr, an Orthodox Theology graduate, was consecrated into deacon.
After the religious service, the Metropolitan spoke about the contribution of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helena to the history of Christianity, and Archim. Melchisedec Velnic, the abbot of Putna Monastery, Romania, spoke about prayer and the life of Holy Hierarch Jacob of Putna.
The relics of this saint were then taken to Middletown Monastery in New York, for the summer feast of the monastic settlement, on Ascension Day, where they remained.
The service was followed by a ceremony awarding the Metropolitan Order of the “Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen” to several people involved in supporting the Chicago Cathedral.
The celebration concluded with a fraternal meal and a performance by the Sunday School children.
The “Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen” Cathedral in Chicago.Photo source: Mitropolia.us
The “Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen” Cathedral is located at 5406 N. Newland Ave., Chicago, IL 60656.
Photo source: Mitropolia.us
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