Celebration day of the Patriarchal chapel of Parcul Domenii – Casin of Bucharest
Romanian Orthodox Church
Thursday, 8 November 2012, “Parcul Domenii – Casin” patriarchal chapel celebrated its saints patrons, “Saints Michael and Gabriel the Archangels”. The joy of the feast was increased by the presence of the Patriarch of Romania near the faithful of this parish.
His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church delivered a sermon in which he spoke to the faithful present about Saints Michael and Gabriel the Archangels, as well as about the importance of the angels in the history of humankind: “The Archangels represent the last but one host of angels meaning in the Greek language the great leaders of the other angels. Saints Michael and Gabriel the Archangels are named the great leaders of the angels’ hosts, namely the great leaders of the angels’ hosts. The best known archangels are Michael, Gabriel and Rafail. Their names are found in the Holy Scriptures, especially in the book of Prophet Daniel. According to the tradition based on the Holy Scriptures and on the saints’ writings there are seven archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Rafail, Uriil, Salatil, Guriil, and Varahil. These seven archangels take great care of the people and accomplish the will of God in the historical event He chooses as pedagogical moments, so that generations of people should understand the fact that the angels are the servants of God, as well as servants for the people’s salvation.” The Archangel Saints also protect the Church of Christ and especially those who want to accomplish the will of God in this world, His Beatitude also said, showing that: “Saint Archangel Michael protects the Christians especially in their fight against the bad spirits, against the selfish passions. He strengthens the Christians during persecutions, helps those who live in the deserts and gives them courage not to be afraid of the bad spirits, of the temptations sometimes violent who come from the bad spirits. Saint Gabriel the Archangel also helps the Christian families, helps the mothers grow the children up in faith, and the parents grow up children faithful and blessed by God. Saint Gabriel the Archangel helps all the monks and nuns who want to live a pure life”.
“There are lots of people who feel the help of the holy angels because any good thought and deed is the result of the work of the angels too who inspire the good deeds in the human conscience. This is why the Church says that every child newly baptised or adult receives a guardian angel. The first prayer that the children learn is the Little Angel and the Church established that both the morning and the evening prayers of the Orthodox Christian should include a prayer to the guardian angel. The angels urge the humans to confess their sins, to change their lives for the better, to give up sins and get the joy of the prayer and of the holy life. The Church established that besides this day of 8 November, of remembering the Group of the Archangel Saints and all the heavenly bodiless powers, the holy angels should be remembered every Monday of the week. This shows how important the presence and work of the angels is”, His Beatitude also said.
At the same time, the Patriarch of Romania congratulated all those of the name of Michael and Gabriel, and other names derived: “We congratulate especially those of the name of Michael and Gabriel, or Mihaela and Gabriela, as well as of names derived, because according to the official statistics, over 1300000 Romanians bear the names of the Saint Archangels, of the Saints Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Rafail. Rafail means the angel who heals diseases. We have lots of Romanians who feel special devotion for Saints Michael, Gabriel and Rafail the Archangels. We wish them all good health, joy, help of God and if they were little angels when they were children, now it is their turn to be angels fighters and victorious.”
To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel offered the parish church several liturgical books of spiritual benefit.
Parcul Domenii – Casin Patriarchal Chapel
The parish church combines the Brancovean style, with pillars at the entrance, visible in the mosaics and in the central Greek cross, with the high and spacious architecture. It has a triconical big dimensioned base plan (42 x 29 metres, the maxim height being 50 metres, while the surface of the entire church is 780 m2) with the semi-circular apse of the altar surrounded by an open portico with arches. A big, polygonal belfry is raised over the nave, with bowed windows and columns of every edge. Four other small octagonal belfries are raised around the central belfry. The narthex faces the west through a big arch with a large mosaic of the icon of the patron saints in the middle, surrounded by a decorated frame.
In 2007, the parish church of Parcul Domenii was raised to the rank of Patriarchal Chapel with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
