Consecration of the Chapel of Parish Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist of Bucharest
On 2 October 2011, the faithful of the parish of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist of deanery III of Bucharest received the visit of the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated the consecration service of the chapel at the semi-basement of the church still being built, dedicated to the Birth of the Mother of God and to Saints Martyrs Epictet and Astion assisted by a large group of priests and deacons. The chapel was dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God.
After the celebration of the consecration service the Patriarch of Romania delivered a short sermon in which he showed that a newly consecrated church is a new gate to heaven open on the earth in which we receive the foretasting of the eternal life.
“May God help us feel the joy of building new places of worship, the joy of the communion with God because a newly consecrated church is a new gate of heaven open on the earth. Nothing and nobody in his world can replace the work of a church because it is in this church that we receive the forgiveness of sins, the true happiness through the Holy Communion of the never dying Spring through the Holy Cup. The church is heaven on earth in this world, especially after it is painted, so that the faithful may spiritually rise to heaven”, said His Beatitude.
After the consecration of the chapel the faithful could go in and pray in the Holy Altar and worship the relics of Saints Epictet and Astion laid in the courtyard of the church, under a canopy specially arranged.
Many social philanthropic activities both for children and for poor people are organised at the parish of “Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist”.
