Tonight, 19.00 hours, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania arrived at the Episcopal Cathedral of Zalau. On this occasion, His Beatitude Petroniu, Bishop of Salaj, celebrated the Te Deum service in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, of His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj, of His Grace Sofronie, Bishop of Oradea and of His Grace Iustin Sigheteanul, Assistant Hierarch to the Diocese of Maramures and Satmar.
The holy relics of Saint Hierarch Nectarie from Eghina, Healer of diseases, kept at the Patriarchal Cathedral were brought to and laid in the Episcopal Cathedral of the “Resurrection of the Lord” of Zalau to be venerated by the faithful – as a sign of blessing of the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Zalau – where they will remain till tomorrow, 14 September. They will be also taken to the chapel of “Saint Luke the Apostle and Evangelist” of the Eparchial Centre of Zalu and to the church of “Saint Daniel the Prophet” of Jibou.
After the Te Deum service, His Grace Bishop Petroniu delivered a welcome speech: “This day is a special one in the history of our county, because we have the great joy to be visited for the first time by a Patriarch of Romania. This is why I thank His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for this special honour. Saint Paul the Apostle said: “There is no doubt that the least takes blessing from the greatest”. Nevertheless, I cannot find better words to meet His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in the Cathedral of Zalau than “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Then, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel appreciated the faith of the inhabitants of the Diocese of Salaj, confessed through the many new churches built: “We are glad because we have arrived to a new church and tomorrow we shall consecrate a new chapel, and the day after tomorrow another new church. We do appreciate the speech of His Grace Bishop Petroniu who showed us the old age and historical richness of this part of the city where we are for the time being. Yet, it is very important to see how faith was kept alive in the hard times of history, so that today, after 45 years of atheist communism, lots of new churches appeared and are being built because the liturgical needs are real. Somebody said that the Romanians are building many churches because they make up for the time when they were not allowed to build churches.”
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel has also spoken about the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross that the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates tomorrow, and emphasised the example of the life of Saint Hierarch Nectarie, the Healer of diseases, whose holy relics were brought to the faithful present in the Cathedral of Zalu to venerate them: “The religious service celebrated tonight introduced us to the great holy feast of the royal feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. We sing every Sunday at the Matins: “Look, joy has come through the cross to all people”. It is only through the cross, effort, patience and trials that we feel the joy of the Resurrection hidden in the Cross and shown through the grace of God in the life of the faithful people, in the personal life and in that of the communities. Tonight we have here, with us, a man who has changed the cross into a ladder of resurrection and the troubles of life into joy. This one is Saint Hierarch Nectarie from Eghina. We wanted to bring joy to the faithful of Zalau and Jibou through the presence of Saint Nectarie of Eghina”.
To end with, His Beatitude offered the parish priest Ioan Ghiurco several liturgical books and of theology, as well as a blessing cross. The faithful present in large number at the event received on behalf of the Patriarch of Romania leaflets presenting the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest and the life of Saint Nectarie of Eghina.
From 13 – 16 September 2013, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church pays a canonical visit to the Diocese of Salaj, at the invitation of His Grace Bishop Petroniu.
