Saint Andrew the Apostle in Romania: October 24-31, 2011 Programme of the Feast of Saint Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest (24 – 28 October 2011)
21/10/2011
The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate informs us:
The feast of Saint Pious Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest (celebrated every year on 27 October), whose holy relics are kept in the Patriarchal Cathedral, has represented a distinguished celebration throughout the centuries for the faithful of Bucharest and for many pilgrims all over the country.
From 24 – 28 October 2011, the Romanian Patriarchate and the Archdiocese of Bucharest will organise, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, a series of manifestations according to the following programme:
Monday, 24 October 2011
At 9.10 hours, the meeting ceremony of the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania will take place at the Official Hall of Henri Coandă International Airport. The head of Saint Andrew is brought for the first time to Bucharest by a delegation of the Orthodox Church of Greece led by His Eminence Metropolitan Hrisostom of Patras.
Then, the first part of the Way of the Saints procession with the icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita from Mount Athos and the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania will take place till the building yard of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, where they will be met by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, hierarchs, priests, deacons and faithful.
After a blessing prayer of the construction works and after consecrating the new chapel dedicated to the Resurrection of the Lord, Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita and to Saint John Chrysostom, the procession of the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania will continue from 13 September St. – Constitution Square – Unirii Avenue till the Brancovean Cross at the foot of the Patriarchal Hill.
It is from here that the second part of the Way of the Saints procession of the Holy Head of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania, of the holy relics of Pious Dimitrios the New and of Saints Constantine and Helen, the Emperors, will begin and continue till the podium specially arranged in the courtyard of the Patriarchal Cathedral, where they will be met by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and laid under the canopy specially arranged close to the church.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
From 9.30 – 12.00 hours, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the Patriarchal Cathedral.
From 13.00 – 13.30 hours, the book entitled Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation – History of an Ideal, by Eng. Nicolae Şt. Noica, recently published at Basilica Publishing House of the Romanian Patriarchate will be launched in Europa Christiana hall of the Patriarchal Palace.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 (celebration day of Saint Great Martyr Dimitrios, the Myrrh Bearer):
At 9.30 hours, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Hrisostom of Patras (Greece), assisted by a group of Greek and Romanian priests and deacons, on the podium specially arranged near the Patriarchal Cathedral.
At 12.00 hours, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel will officially receive in the Patriarchal Cathedral the delegation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria led by His Beatitude Teodor II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, who is paying a brotherly visit to the Romanian Patriarchate.
At 17.00 hours, several seats will be consecrated: the new seat of the Metropolitanate of Muntenia and Dobrudgea (Archdiocese of Bucharest) in 9 Miron Cristea St., the new seat of the Holy Synod Office and the new studio of Trinitas Television station in the Patriarchal Palace, as well as the new offices of the Economical Financial Department of the Patriarchal Administration and of “Lumina” publications situated in the Saint Andrew the Apostle Social Cultural Centre (1 Regina Maria Ave.).
Thursday, 27 October 2011 (celebration day of Saint Pious Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest and celebration day of the Patriarchal Cathedral):
At 9.30 hours, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and His Beatitude Teodor II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy assisted by a group of Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian and Ukrainian Orthodox hierarchs, on a podium specially arranged near the Patriarchal Cathedral.
At 18.00 hours, the final stage of the national contest of choral ecclesiastic music entitled Praise the Lord!, 4th edition, will take place in Patriarch Teoctist Aula Magna, organised by the Theological – Educational Department of the Romanian Patriarchate in collaboration with the Department for Education and Activity with the Youth of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. The six joint choruses of the art high schools, winners within each metropolitanate of the country, will compete. The contest will be broadcast live by Trinitas Radio and Television stations of the Romanian Patriarchate.
Friday, 28 October 2011 (celebration day of Saint Hierarch Iachint of Vicina, the first Metropolitan of Wallachia):
At 8.00 hours, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the Patriarchal Cathedral and Saint Iachint the Hierarch, Metropolitan of Wallachia, will be remembered.
At 10.30 hours, the solemn session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church will he held in Patriarch Teoctist Aula Magna, on the theme 2011 – Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Matrimony in the Romanian Patriarchate, broadcast live by Trinitas Radio and Television stations. The synodal meeting will present the synthesis of/and estimate the most important manifestations with religious spiritual, cultural and media character organised this year by the eparchies of the Romanian Patriarchate in the country and abroad. Then, the documentary entitled Family in the Focus of the Church by Trinitas Television station of the Romanian Patriarchate will be broadcast and the new editorial titles published by the editorial offices of the Romanian Patriarchate and of the Archdiocese of Bucharest will be presented.
On this occasion the thematic exhibition entitled The Holy Baptism and Holy Matrimony in the Orthodox church art (frescoes, icons, miniatures, embroideries, weavings, mosaics and stained glass) will be visited in Europa Christiana hall of the Patriarchal Palace, organised by the Department for Church Cultural Patrimony of the Romanian Patriarchate in collaboration with the Cultural Department of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, with the National Village Museum and Romanian Peasant’s Museum, with the support of BASILICA Press Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate.
Friday, 28 October 2011, 12.00 hours, the Holy Head of Saint Andrew Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania, will be taken to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu, on the occasion of the canonisation of Saint Andrei Şaguna, the Hierarch, Metropolitan of Transylvania, where it will remain till 29 October 2011, in the afternoon. Then, the Holy Head of Saint Andrew, the Apostle, Protector of Romania, will be taken to the Archiepiscopal Cathedral of Alba Iulia on the occasion of the proclamation of the canonisation of Saint Simeon Ştefan, Metropolitan of Transylvania, where it will remain till 30 October 2011, in the afternoon.
