{"id":537128,"date":"2025-08-11T14:31:43","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T11:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=537128"},"modified":"2025-08-11T14:31:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T11:31:43","slug":"first-liturgy-newly-canonised-bessarabian-martyr-alexander-baltaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/first-liturgy-newly-canonised-bessarabian-martyr-alexander-baltaga\/","title":{"rendered":"First Liturgy honouring newly canonised Bessarabian Hieromartyr Alexander Baltaga held in C\u0103l\u0103ra\u0219i"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Holy Hieromartyr Alexander (Baltaga) of Bessarabia was commemorated on Friday for the first time since the local proclamation of his canonisation, in the \u201cSaint Nicholas\u201d Church in C\u0103l\u0103ra\u0219i, the Republic of Moldova \u2014 the parish where the saint served for 54 years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia, together with His Grace Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, and a large assembly of clergy from both banks of the Prut River.<\/p>\n

After the service, Bishop Veniamin read the Tomos of canonisation, followed by the presentation of the saint\u2019s icon for veneration and the chanting of the troparion dedicated to him.<\/p>\n

Gratitude for the canonisation of a Bessarabian martyr<\/h2>\n

Metropolitan Petru expressed thanks to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for supporting the canonisation of this great servant of the Church and the nation, \u201cwho died out of love for his people, identity, and faith, always standing by his flock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thank His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, who helped us organise the canonisation and today\u2019s celebration, the Divine Liturgy in honour of Saint Alexander Baltaga, in the very church where he served,\u201d the Metropolitan of Bessarabia emphasised.<\/p>\n

Bishop Veniamin recalled moments from the saint\u2019s life and martyrdom: \u201cHe was fully aware of the atheist-communist danger approaching from the East,\u201d the hierarch said.<\/p>\n

Accused of being a priest and a Romanian<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The icon of the new St. Alexander Baltaga was presented to the faithful on Friday, August 8, 2025, after the Divine Liturgy, in the church where he served for 54 years before being arrested by the Soviets and sent to the Gulag, where he fell asleep in the Lord. Photo: Metropolis of Bessarabia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIn 1940, on August 31, he was interrogated during the Divine Liturgy here, in the church. He ended up in the cellars of the NKVD in Chi\u0219in\u0103u and died in prison in Kazan. Among the charges brought against him, one was that he was a priest, and the other that he was Romanian and had voted for the Union with the Motherland,\u201d Bishop Veniamin noted.<\/p>\n

The event was attended by descendants of Saint Alexander from Bessarabia, elderly locals who had known him or were baptised by him, members of the Romanian Parliament, representatives of central and local authorities, as well as a group of priests from the Ia\u0219i I Deanery, led by Dean Florin C\u0103lug\u0103ru.<\/p>\n

As a sign of gratitude, several priests from the C\u0103l\u0103ra\u0219i Deanery received commemorative distinctions, as did priests from the Ia\u0219i I Deanery, twinned with parishes in C\u0103l\u0103ra\u0219i.<\/p>\n

Officials, representatives of public institutions, and parishioners actively involved in church life were also honoured.<\/p>\n