Holy Relics Of Saint Andrew The Apostle in Romania

24/10/2011

Holy Relics Of Saint Andrew The Apostle Met By The Patriarch Of Romania

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel met the Holy Head of Saint Andrew, the Apostle, at the building yard of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, together with a group of hierarchs, and hundreds of priests and faithful.

The delegation from Patras, Greece, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Chrisostom of Patras, and the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church who met the holy relics at Henri Coanda airport, brought the holy relics of Saint Andrew to the building yard of the future Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation.

Procession To The Location Of The Cathedral For The Nation’s Salvation

After the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle was met by the Patriarch of Romania at the location of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, the participants in the ceremony started off in procession both with the Holy Relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle and with the icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita from Mount Athos.

The procession took place around the place where the future Cathedral for Nation’s Salvation will be built. While surrounding the walls of the location of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation both with the shrine of the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the First Called, Protector of Romania, and with the icon of the Mother of the Lord – Prodromita, the participants in the procession sang the Troparion for bringing the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Troparion of Saint Andrew the Apostle and Troparion of the Prodromita Icon.

During the procession, when reaching the place of the altar of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said a blessing prayer for the works being done at the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation and a threefold litany.

Consecration of the Chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation

To end with the procession, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated the consecration service of the chapel of the building yard of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, assisted by the group of hierarchs. The church in stevenanian style dedicated to the Resurrection of the Lord, Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita and to Saint John Chrysostom was built in only three months.

In the speech delivered in the end of the consecration service the Patriarch of Romania showed the significance of one of the dedication days of the chapel consecrated today, namely the Resurrection of the Lord.

“The dedication to the Resurrection of the Lord is also given in the memory of the churches killed through demolition and crucified through translation when the People’s House was built during the communist regime. This little church reminds the fact that the church of the Ascension of the Lord and of Saint Andrew the Apostle is also a justice of God for (…) the five churches destroyed or translated to build this House during the atheist communism so close to the future Patriarchal Cathedral, the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, said His Beatitude.

After the consecration service His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church thanked all those who got involved in the building of this place of worship and offered them diplomas of worthiness.

So, the Patriarch of Romania offered the Steven the Great Order for clergy to archimandrite Ciprian Gradinaru as well as to Rev. Stefan Ababei, patriarchal counsellor. The Saints Constantine and Helen the Emperors Order for laics was awarded to Mr. Bogdan Dinu and Saint Steven the Great Order to Mr. Vasile Avram.

Saints Constantine and Helen the Emperors order was also awarded to the following persons: Valentina Morcovescu, Liliana Mateescu, to family Axinte Gheorghe and Elena and to Rodica Harmas.

The diploma of honour of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania was awarded to the following persons: Romica Stejar, Paul Zamfir, Sorin Constantinescu, Marian Cretu, Razvan Ionescu and Vasile Finta.

The diploma of worthiness of Saint Dimitrios the New was awarded to the following persons: Gheroghe Cedereas, Nicolae Dragomir, Andrei Constantinescu, Calin Sas, Adrian Bonboaza, Mihai Vladimir Iacob and to Nicolae Stroie.

To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel offered a blessing cross for the holy place of worship, a Holy Gospel, as well as other books.

Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita consecrated

During the consecration service of the chapel of the future Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church also consecrated the Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita, a copy of the one at Mount Athos.

The icon consecrated by the Patriarch of Romania is in the chapel built at the location of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, also dedicated to this icon.

Relics of Saint Andrew, Apostle of the Romanians Met on the Joy Hill

The procession of the Way of the Saints ended with the official reception of the shrine of the Holy Head of Andrew the First Called, Protector of Romania, and of the delegation of the Church of Greece by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and by the other hierarchs members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the podium specially arranged close to the Patriarchal Cathedral.

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