His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel Officiated The Divine Liturgy On The Celebration Day Of Saint Parascheva

Romanian Orthodox Church

On 14 October, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel officiated the Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi on the occasion of the celebration day of Saint Parascheva, assisted by 22 hierarchs, priests and deacons. The Divine Liturgy began at 9.15 hours and it was celebrated on a podium specially arranged in front of the Cathedral of Iasi.

Besides His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the following hierarchs were also present at the celebration of Saint Parascheva: His Eminence Vasilios of Elassona (Greece), His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, His Eminence Irineu, Metropolitan of Oltenia, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch, His Eminence Teodosie, Archbishop of Tomis, His Eminence Pimen, Archbishop of Suceava and Radauti, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, His Eminence Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube, His Grace Athenagoras, Bishop of Sinope (on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate), His Grace Basil, Bishop of Srem (on behalf of the Serb Patriarchate), His Grace Corneliu, Bishop of Husi, His Grace Nicodim, Bishop of Severin and Strehaia, His Grace Vincentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, His Grace Ambrozie, Bishop of Giurgiu, His Grace Sebastian, Bishop of Slatina and Romanati, His Grace Petroniu, Bishop of Salaj, His Grace Calinic Botosaneanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archbishop of Iasi, His Grace Vasile Somesanul, Assitant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Cluj, His Grace Emilian Lovosteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic, His Grace Ioachim Bacauanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacau, and His Grace Iustin Sigheteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Diocese of Maramures and Satmar.

After reading the Holy Gospel, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel delivered a sermon to those present in which he evoked the personality of Saint Pious Parascheva and emphasized the important role Saint Maxim the Confessor had for defending the right faith, whose relics are in Iasi on the occasion of the celebration day of Saint Parascheva.

The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church has also spoken both about the pilgrim’s vocation and about the meaning and benefit of the pilgrimage: “Pilgrimage makes all people equal, because it brings them all in front of the humble saints and of the Holy Trinity, in the love of the Holy Trinity. Pilgrimage is also a proof of repentance accompanied by the efforts of the journey, by cold, by a certain sacrifice made through the presents given to the respective church or monastery”.

To end with the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan thanked the Patriarch of Romania for his presence at this special moment for the Metropolitan See of Moldova and Bucovina and offered His Beatitude an icon of Saint Parascheva and of Saint Maxim the Confessor.

His Beatitude Daniel thanked His Eminence Teofan for presents, and offered him an icon of Saint Dimitrie the New, Protector of Bucharest, reminding all those present that there are two great feasts in October, namely of Saint Parascheva and of Saint Pious Dimitrie the New, on 27 October, in Bucharest.

The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church gave the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi a blessing cross, a new edition of the Holy Gospel and a Bible, the synodal edition of 2008.

Metropolitan Teofan of Moldova offered His Eminence Vasilios of Elassona, to His Grace Athenagoras, Bishop of Sinope, to His Grace Vasile, Bishop of Srem and to Rev. Archimandrite Partenie, abbot of Saint Paul Monastery of Mount Athos, icons of Saint Pious Parascheva.

Over 30.000 pilgrims were present in Iasi in order to honour Saint Parascheva, the Protector of Moldova and Saint Maxim the Confessor. They spent hours on end to reach the canopy in front of the cathedral and attend the Divine Liturgy.

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