Home page News
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill takes part in divine…

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill takes part in divine service celebrated in Bucharest in commemoration of martyrs who suffered in the years of persecution

On October 27, 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, currently on a visit to the Romanian Orthodox Church, took part in the solemn divine service in the open air at Patriarchal Hill in Bucharest.

Church festivities are dedicated to the commemoration day of St. Demetrius of Basarbov, heavenly patron of Bucharest; to the memory of the martyrs and confessors who suffered under the theomachist regime in Romania; and to the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania. The Bulgarian and Romanian Orthodox Churches commemorate St. Demetrius of Basarbov on October 27; the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates him on October 26/November 8.

The Primates of the Russian, Romanian and Albanian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, bishops of the Romanian Patriarchate, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches proceeded from the Patriarchal chambers to the square and venerated the relics of Ss Demetrius the New of Basarbov and St. Seraphim of Sarov.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania and His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia officiated at the Divine Liturgy concelebrating with the heads of the delegations of the Local Orthodox Churches, bishops and clerics of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and members of the official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Among honorary guests attending the service were H.E. Valery Kuzmin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Romania; Mr. Paul Stănescu, deputy prime minister of Romania; representatives of the state authorities of the country.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Romanian and Church Slavonic languages and broadcast live by ‘Trinitas TV’ Romanian church channel, Russian ‘Spas’ TV and Patriarchia.ru official site of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After the Reading from the Gospel His Holiness Patriarch Kirill delivered a sermon on the purpose of Christian life and the teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Patriarchal vicar bishop Varlaam of Ploieşti read out a pastoral of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church declaring 2017 the Year of commemoration of Patriarch Justinian (1901-1977) and of the confessors and defenders of Orthodoxy who had performed their feat under the theomachist regime.

After the Litany of Fervent Supplication prayers were offered up in the Romanian, Church Slavonic and Albanian languages and ‘Memory Eternal’ was proclaimed to the confessors and defenders of Orthodoxy in all countries in which communist regime had existed.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel presented Romanian cleric and laypeople who suffered during the years of communist regime with the Patriarchal Cross, the highest award of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

At the request of Patriarch Daniel, Patriarch Kirill addressed the participants in the festivities after the Liturgy. He cordially thanked the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church for hospitality and “the opportunity to celebrate the Divine Liturgy together with all brothers who have arrived in Bucharest and with bishops of the Romanian Orthodox Church and to recall all people who suffered for Christ’s sake in the hard years of the 20th century. We know that blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity and that martyrs and confessors who lost their life in our country in those years are praying for all of us.

“We feel their prayers also because many of them were our relatives. Indeed, what had happened to our fathers and grandfathers happened not so long ago.

“Once each of us can confront the dilemma: to be with Christ or sin against Him. Today no one forcibly tears a Christian away from the Church or makes him renounce Christ, but a lot is being done in order to make people forget Christ and perceive the Church only as a part of national tradition, a variety of folklore. However, the Church is not only the past, but also the present. Yesterday, today and tomorrow she is called to confess the Lord and Saviour not only by celebrating liturgy and by prayer. Members of the Church should bring witness about the effectiveness of the Gospel by their life. To confess Christ today is no less difficult than in the years of persecution, because people can be torn away from God not only by force, by also by different kinds of temptation and by shifting the focus of attention from Heaven to earth.

“The example of martyrs and confessors of the 20th century teaches us to be faithful to Christ, not to betray Him, to be with Him in joy and in sorrow, and call His holy name. This will be the best memory of martyrs and confessors of the 20th century. May God grant strength to our generation and especially to our youth to remain faithful to Christ in spite of all temptations in our society!”

His Holiness continued to say: “I would like to express profound gratitude to His Beatitude for having gathered us here in Bucharest. In our long talk yesterday we discussed many problems facing our Churches and our nations. It is important for the Primates to meet more often as these meetings help us understand one another even better, to feel that we are brothers, and to comprehend our common mission in the contemporary world. I also thank Your Beatitude for your labors and care for your flock. As a token of my love and respect please accept pectoral icon with the image of Christ the Saviour and a bishop’s staff – a symbol of your archpastoral ministry. Many Years!” The last words Patriarch Kirill said in the Romanian language.

Patriarch Daniel thanked the participants in the festivities and presented icons of St. Demetrius the New of Basarbov to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches and heads of the delegations.

While proceeding to the Patriarchal Palace to attend the reception given on behalf of the Romanian Orthodox Church the Primates of the four Orthodox Churches, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, and bishops of the Romanian Patriarchate venerated the relics of Ss Demetrius the New of Basarbov and St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Since the day the shrine with a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov was brought in Bucharest many people stood in long lines to venerate them.

Share:
Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

Patriarchal condolences on the death of Boris A. Nelyubov

14.07.2024

Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church takes part in COP29 Summit of Religious Leaders

06.11.2024

DECR chairman concludes his visit to India

03.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with young Indian Christians

02.11.2024

Primate of Malankara Church of India receives Order of Glory and Honour, 1st Class

02.11.2024

DECR chairman takes part in church celebrations in India

02.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

DECR Chairman has begun his visit to India

31.10.2024

Work of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is declared successful

24.10.2024

Synod acknowledges importance of bilateral projects carried out in collaboration with Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

24.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

DECR Chairman heads celebrations for the fifteenth anniversary of the consecration of the Dormition Church at the Russian embassy in Beijing.

19.10.2024

Saint Petersburg Theological Academy hosts conference on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) entitled ‘The Person of Metropolitan Nikodim in the History of the Church’.

16.10.2024

DECR Chairman meets with President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference

15.10.2024

Participants of the Divine Service at the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Presnya congratulated the DECR Chairman on his 40th birthday.

12.10.2024

Russian diplomat given Patriarchal award.

10.10.2024

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب