On the Sunday of the Holy Cross, Yelena Popovic, author of the “Man of God” film, which presents the life of St. Nektarios of Aegina, prayed at the “St. Stephen the Great” Romanian Orthodox Church in Vienna.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Father Emanuel Nuțu welcomed the presence of the director in the community and recalled the positive impact of the film “Man of God”, especially on the young people of the parish, who went in large numbers to the Viennese cinemas to watch it.
Yelena Popovic thanked for the warm welcome and mentioned that in Romania she was impressed by the faith and humility she had seen in Romanian Orthodox Christians.
She also confessed the crucial role of her faith in Christ throughout her personal and professional life – especially in the making of the film.
The film was conceived to offer people, through Holy Hierarch Nektarios’ biography, a model of life lived by rejoicing in and with God.
Referring to the bearing of the Cross, Yelena Popovic pointed that, despite the slander he endured, St Nektarios remained steadfast in his faith and lived his life with joy, dignity and without compromise, and God’s reward came in abundance.
“He urged us all to strive towards this spiritual ascent, having as our model St. Nektarios, who carried his cross with great hope and joy, with the conviction that true joy does not come from anything or anyone in this world, but only from God,” reports Father Emanuel Ștefan Nuțu, the parish priest.
Regarding the success of the film, the director confessed that awards and honours do not matter to her. What she wanted to convey through this film was hope.
In front of the numerous attendance, she recalled a very impressive, deeply moving moment she experienced in Romania: receiving from His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel the “Oranta Mother of God” Order, which gave her a lot of confidence and hope to go ahead with future Orthodox film projects.
The director will return to Vienna to give a lecture at “St. Stephen the Great” Parish about her spiritual experience and the wonderful events she experienced during the making of the “Man of God” movie.
“Man of God” was released in cinemas last year, on the 100th anniversary of Holy Hierarch Nektarios’ passage to eternal life. The Romanian premiere took place on 29 November 2022.
See also:
- “Virgin Orans” Order for Yelena Popovic. She asked for guidance from the Mother of God in making St Nectarios film
- Yelena Popovic, from Hollywood to faith: Man can never be happy if he doesn’t have God in his heart
- Yelena Popovic: My goal was to bring St Nectarios to the hearts of people. I felt his story could help them
- Yelena Popovic, director of the film about St. Nektarios: An Orthodox Christian can offer a lot to the world
- Mickey Rourke on participation in St. Nektarios film: I believe in miracles only through God, not luck, money, or Power
- The making of the movie about St Nektarios: How were the actors chosen
Photo credit: “St Stephen the Great” Church in Vienna
