{"id":499226,"date":"2024-10-14T14:15:40","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T11:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=499226"},"modified":"2024-10-14T14:15:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T11:15:40","slug":"archbishop-nikitas-thyateira-st-paraskeva-feast-iasi-pilgrimage-part-of-christian-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/archbishop-nikitas-thyateira-st-paraskeva-feast-iasi-pilgrimage-part-of-christian-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira attends St Paraskeva feast in Ia\u0219i: Pilgrimage is part of our Christian life"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Pilgrimage is part of our Christian life, and this must not be lost,” emphasized Archbishop Nikitas Loulias of Thyateira and Great Britain during the celebration of Saint Paraskeva in Ia\u0219i on Monday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His Eminence spoke about the importance of pilgrimage in Christians’ lives, offering Saint Paraskeva as an example.<\/p>\n

“Saint Paraskeva herself was a pilgrim, as we learn from the writings about her. She travelled and lived in Jerusalem and the Holy Places until she was guided to return to her homeland. Her life was a continuous journey to the Kingdom of Heaven.”<\/p>\n

“The entire Christian life is a holy pilgrimage for each of us, in which we travel and strive to draw closer to Jesus Christ and His Truth. He is the One who calls us all to leave behind the daily routine and walk the path of holiness,” highlighted the archbishop.<\/p>\n

“The great preacher and enlightener of the nations, Saint Paul the Apostle, guides us with the following words: Therefore, \u201cCome out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.\u201d\u00a0<\/sup>And, \u201cI will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.\u00a0(2 Corinthians 6:17 \u2013 7:1).”<\/p>\n

“We are present at the Feast of Saint Paraskeva, and we bow our hearts and minds humbly in prayer, asking the Father of Lights not to abandon us but to look upon the whole world with love and grant us the strength, courage and hope that the young confessor Saint Paraskeva had in the times of old.”<\/p>\n

Meditate on the words of the Holy Scriptures<\/h2>\n

Archbishop Nikitas urged the faithful to reflect on the words of the Holy Scriptures during the pilgrimage.<\/p>\n

“Let us carefully listen to the words of the great Prophet Isaiah, who invites us on the mystical journey of the Christian life: ‘Come, let us go\u00a0up to the mountain\u00a0of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>, <\/span>to the temple of the God of Jacob<\/span><\/span>‘ (Isaiah 2:3).”<\/p>\n

“Let us draw near and ascend to the house of the Lord to receive from the grace and blessings that He bestows upon the world through His Saints and Righteous Ones. Many have travelled countless kilometres to reach this place of worship and ask Saint Parascheva to join them in prayer to God.”<\/p>\n

“Some come here seeking blessings and miracles for themselves, while others come only to ask for peace in the world. Perhaps this is the greatest need of our time \u2013 for peace to dwell and fill the hearts and minds of all people. But it must be the peace that comes from above \u2013 the peace of Christ, for which we pray in the Divine Liturgy, and nothing less,” His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas said.<\/p>\n

At the end of the sermon, the hierarch urged, “Let us honour Saint Paraskeva and venerate her holy relics, remember her life, her calling, her pilgrimage, and find meaning in these so that we may respond and live properly to be worthy of divine grace. ”<\/p>\n