{"id":500328,"date":"2024-10-22T13:29:57","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T10:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=500328"},"modified":"2024-10-22T13:29:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T10:29:57","slug":"romanian-orthodox-parish-in-strasbourg-celebrates-40th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/romanian-orthodox-parish-in-strasbourg-celebrates-40th-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Romanian Orthodox parish in Strasbourg celebrates 40th anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last weekend, the Romanian Orthodox parish of Saint John the Baptist in Strasbourg, France, marked its 40th anniversary.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The celebrations began on Saturday with a Divine Liturgy led by His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif, the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe.<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Iosif conveyed a congratulatory message from Patriarch Daniel, who reminded attendees that the parish was founded in the context of renewed ties between the Romanian Patriarchate and the Strasbourg Faculties of Theology after 1975.<\/p>\n

Archbishop Casian of Lower Danube, then a doctoral student and hierodeacon, was one of the parish’s founders.<\/p>\n

“On the 40th anniversary of the Romanian Orthodox Parish in Strasbourg, we congratulate His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe, Reverend Father Dr Vasile Iorgulescu and his family, for their zealous and dedicated ministry over the past four decades to Christ\u2019s Church and the entrusted community, as well as all the parishioners,” Patriarch Daniel noted in his message.<\/p>\n

Second Oldest Romanian Orthodox Parish in France<\/h2>\n

During Saturday\u2019s service, Father Vasile Iorgulescu highlighted that the Strasbourg parish is France’s second oldest Romanian Orthodox parish, after the parochial community in Paris.<\/p>\n

The priest reflected on the past 40 years, summarizing them with the word “prayer.”<\/p>\n

“We began with the prayer: ‘Lord, show us what we are seeking here when we are needed back home,’ and now, 40 years later, we offer another prayer: ‘Lord, give us strength to meet all the requests and needs, for we feel too small for the calling ahead of us.'”<\/p>\n

Romanian Academy President Ioan-Aurel Pop, along with Father Sorin \u0218elaru, Director of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s representation to European institutions, also attended the service.<\/p>\n

At the end, the Metropolitan Cross was awarded to presbytera Narcisa Iosefina Iorgulescu by His Eminence Iosif.<\/p>\n

The Strasbourg celebrations continued on Sunday with a lecture by Academician Ioan-Aurel Pop and an anniversary concert.<\/p>\n