The Dedication Day of the Old Princely Court Church
January 2016
His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, officiated on Sunday, 17 January 2016, the Divine Liturgy in the princely Old Court Church (Patriarchal Parekklesion), on the feast of St. Pious Anthony the Great, protector of this place of worship.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel was surrounded by an assembly formed of V. Rev. Archimandrite Paisie Teodorescu, Patriarchal Vicar, and numerous priests from the Patriarchal Administration.
Thankfulness is the health status of our dignity
In his sermon, the Romanian Patriarch explained the teachings of the Gospel passage read during the Divine Liturgy and referred to gratitude.
“We have to thank God and all the people that helped us, and the most important gratitude of the Church for the gifts received from God, for the entire universe, for the existence and for every benefaction is manifested in the Holy Eucharist. Its meaning in Greek is “sacred gratitude, sacredthanksgiving”. That is why, in the most important moments of the Divine Liturgy the priest prays saying the following words: «With worthiness and with righteousness we thank You», which can be more correctly translated as «It is meet and right to hymn Thee», and on the contrary it is unworthy and dishonest not to give thanks to God. In other words, thankfulness is the health status of our dignity”, His Beatitude said.
Thankfulness is a spiritual progress and a spiritual enrichment
The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church also showed that thankfulness is a spiritual progress and a spiritual enrichment.
When helping the ill, the poor, the needy, the afflicted, as a result of our prayer, of our faith and our kindheartedness, we become the hands of Christ’s love and, therefore, we become the mystical body of Christ who helps people through people. Thus, the Gospel urges us to show thankfulness; but thankfulness is not a plain moral duty, how it is often considered, or a sign of a good education, a sign of good manners, or civic justice. It is more than a moral obligation, it is more profound than a simple problem of etiquette among people. Thankfulness is a spiritual progress and a spiritual enrichment.
Saint Pious Anthony the Great – a teacher of repentance
The Romanian Patriarch has referred to St Pious Anthony the Great as a great teacher of repentance, a teacher of spiritual struggle, and a teacher of people counselling.
“He ran away from the world, but only after he had sanctified his life, after he had been enlightened, after he had been cleansed, after he had run from all the earthly thoughts he became, as related in his biography, a Father of all Egypt. From the beginning he ran away from people, but when people felt his holiness they ran to him. Thus, we observe the role of monasticism in praying, advising and urging to defend true faith and the life lived in love of God and of fellowmen which is well pleasing to Christ. To everybody named after St Anthony we wish good health, salvation, peace, joy, and many blessed years to come.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude offered the Parish church a blessing cross and several books published by the Publishing House of Romanian Patriarchate, and to the faithful present His Beatitude offered icons representing St. Pious Anthony the Great.
Despite the heavy snow fall, many faithful were present at the Divine Liturgy. They came to venerate St Anthony, and also the relics of St Ephraim the New Martyr, specially brought on this occasion from the Patriarchal Residence.
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The Old Princely Court Church – Patriarchal Pareklession – protected by the Mother of God, being dedicated to the her feast ofAnnunciation is also protected by St Pious Anthony the Great, had been built by ruler prince Mircea Ciobanu in 1559. It was painted in the time of ruler prince Peter the Young, under Lady Chiajna’s guidance. St Anthony the Great became the protector of this church after the fire that took place on 23 March 1847, when St Anton – Prison church burned down. The wonder working icon of St. Anthony which can now be found in this church was miraculously saved from the fire.
