Enthronement of His Eminence Andrei as Metropolitan of Cluj
25/3/2011
Romanian Church
On 25 March 2011, to end with the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Cluj, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church enthroned the new Metropolitan of Cluj, His Eminence Andrei, in the presence of a large group of hierarchs, members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Many official personalities, as well as hundreds of faithful attended the event.
His Grace Justin Sigheteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Diocese of Maramures and Satmar read the Patriarchal Grammata. Then, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church offered His Eminence Andrei the insignia of his rank: the metropolitan cloak, the cross and engolpion, as well as the kamelaykion with cross, and the hierarchic walking staff, and enthroned him Archbishop of Vad, Feleac, Crisana and Maramures.
In the sermon delivered, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel explained the symbolism of the insignia of the new metropolitan.
“The walking staff symbolises the dignity and responsibility of the shepherd of souls who will account for the souls entrusted to his service on the way of salvation, as Saint Paul the Apostle says in his Epistle to the Hebrews. All these great responsibilities, symbolically expressed by the archiepiscopal and metropolitan insignia can be accomplished only with help of God’s grace and through the collaboration of the hierarch with the clergy and faithful of the eparchy, as well as through the consultation and cooperation of the Metropolitan with the hierarchs of the Metropolitan See. The rich pastoral experience of His Eminence Andrei as Archbishop of Alba Iulia unfolded for two decades, with multiple spiritual institutional and missionary results, will help him unfold at Cluj too an activity useful for our Church”, said His Beatitude as Trinitas Radio station informs us.
There followed the message of the President of Romania and that of the Prime Minister, Emil Boc, present at the enthronement ceremony in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Cluj. Further on, Rev. Iustin Tira, administrative vicar at the Archdiocese of Cluj read the welcome speech the clergy addressed His Eminence Andrei.
“I thank, with gratitude His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and the Holy Synod who called me to this service full of responsibility: on one hand, this service brings me the comfort to continue the mission of Christ as Metropolitan, and on the other hand, it offers me one more cross”, said His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures.
After the enthronement ceremony, His Eminence Andrei, Archbishop of Vad, Feleac and Cluj, and Metropolitan of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures delivered a speech for the faithful outside the cathedral and blessed them on the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral, together with the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the hierarchs present at the events of the day.
