Scotland’s first Romanian Orthodox Church to open in Aberdeen

16/1/2010

Romanian Orthodox Church to open in city, inauguration comes after growing demand in north-east.

The north of Scotland’s first Romanian Orthodox Church will open in Aberdeen today.

The parish will celebrate its inauguration after growing demand from the north-east’s Romanian community for a full-time priest in the region.

Today’s service is expected to attract Orthodox Christians who have moved to the north-east from across the world, and will also be attended by Joseph Pop, the metropolitan archbishop for western and southern Europe.

Parishioners will also meet their new priest, Gabriel Hlade, at the service.

The parish opens a year after Scotland’s first Romanian Orthodox Church launched in Glasgow.

The Glasgow church’s priest, Marcel Oprisan, said he has been travelling across the country to hold as many services as possible, but appealed to the archbishop to start a new parish after recognising the demand for a priest to serve the north and north-east.

He said: “Until now I have been the priest for every Romanian Orthodox community in Scotland, and I am happy to be joined by Father Gabriel.

“There are quite a few Romanian families in Aberdeen, mostly to work in the oil industry, and they have wanted a priest here for a long time.

“The parish is not just for Romanians though. We want to bring the north-east Orthodox community together, and we will welcome everyone.”

The service will be held at St Ninian’s Scottish Episcopal Church at 696 King Street at 9.30am.

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