With special consideration, I would like to say a few words about the blessed and historic event that took place in our parish on September 13, 2020, the 84th anniversary of our Cathedral. They were salvific years for many generations of Romanians wandering through North East America, Romanians who, from 1936, have struggled with the shortcomings of the times and the desire to help those back home (Romania), but have not forgotten the sacrifice to be made to the Lord. Thus, they laid the foundations of a place of worship for the glory of God, having also the role of hearth for the preservation of our Romanian traditions, customs and language. Therefore, we today have a sacred duty to keep alive in our hearts and to remember at the Divine Services "the founders and benefactors of this holy place" and to desire, with the same zeal, to preserve and offer this wonderful place of God to future generations.
On this occasion we had the great joy of having in our midst His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas. Our feast began with the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the open air in the presence of over 200 believers. Our joy was complemented by the appearance of the sun, after a few hours of rain, immediately after the great blessing.
It was a special Divine Liturgy that comforted and rejoiced the souls of those present, being for the first time, after more than 6 months, when "Brothers lived together again" in large numbers. The Romanian faithful were joined by Greek Orthodox who, for 4 months, enjoyed the services of our church and continued a liturgical life during restrictions due to the pandemic. At the end of the Liturgy, His Eminence Nicolae performed the Te-Deum service for the 50th anniversary of the marriage of Mr. Alexandru and Mrs. Dorinne Suba, worthy members of our parish, and read the prayers for the beginning of the new school year.
Then followed the sermon of His Eminence Nicolae on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: “There is no Resurrection without Cross, there is no Eternal life without looking to Christ the One who won our eternity through the Cross and Resurrection. The last few months have helped us to come to this understanding that the Christian life is an experience of suffering that, lived in faith in Christ, can lead us to the Resurrection.”
There followed the fraternal agape prepared with much love by the Marys of our parish who did not forget the work of Martha.
In conclusion, we can say that, although the world is going through an unprecedented moment, the Church of Christ remains the most important place where the Christian forgets all care and all fear and, by sharing in the gifts of the Liturgy, is filled with faith and hope that we are in the hands of our Creator and that we will pass well over these difficult times.
We ask God to make us worthy to continue the work of the worthy Father Ion Gherman who pastored this blessed parish for 35 years, together with our archpastor, His Eminence Nicolae, to whom we thank with great love for all the spiritual support and prayer. We express the hope of spending the next anniversaries with peace and spiritual growth!
God is with us,
Rev. Fr. Petru Neaga
