The days of November 12 and 13, the final days before the beginning of the Nativity Lent of the year of salvation 2021, were an occasion of joy, communion and service with His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae and the priests who came to the Parish of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in the city of Upland, California, for the Western USA Deanery Assembly.

With the blessing and under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Nicolae, the work of the Deanery Assembly began on Friday, November 12, with the Heavenly King prayer and the welcoming address from our Hierarch, from V. Rev. Fr. Dean Mihai Bălan and from the Parish Priest, V. Rev. Archimandrite Nicodim Bibarț. On this first day of the meeting, on the agenda were topics rich in significance, both for the realities of the spiritual life of Orthodox Romanians on American soil in the context of the last 20 months of trials, and topics that should awaken and maintain a lively interest for the Orthodox Christian who desires to learn about his identity in the American diaspora.

Priests and delegates attending the meeting listed the problems their parishes faced in 2020 and 2021. During this trial period, many of our Christians went through either physical illness or isolation but were in great distress especially because of the impossibility of meeting Christ, with the life of the Church. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae stressed that the mission of the Church, through her ministers, is to act with love and wisdom as to help in a delicate but effective way those who are suffering and those affected by fear, that they may return to the Church with confidence. A proposal made by His Eminence in this regard is to offer personalized spiritual assistance to those who seek the work and help of the Church in their lives.

The year 2021 was named by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church The Commemorative Year of those who fell asleep in the Lord; the liturgical and cultural value of cemeteries. Thus, the first day of the Deanery Assembly continued with the presentation of this theme, having as author V. Rev. Fr. Iustinian Deac. In his excellent and thoroughly documented exposition, Father Iustinian brought forth scriptural and patristic foundations, but also references in Romanian literature that underlie the prayers for those who fell asleep in the Orthodox Church. His analysis highlighted the communion between the living and the dead, both by performing all the prayers, ordinances and sacramental acts involving the members of the Fighting Church, and by the prayers of those who moved to the Triumphant Church.

This was followed by the presentation of the project “The Church - House of Romanians Everywhere.” This project aims to establish the collaboration of our parishes with parishes in Romania or the Republic of Moldova, involving activities that would lead both to a mutual knowledge of the spiritual and social realities of the communities involved in the project, as well as to a fruitful communication between different generations of children, young people, and adults.

The second day of the Deanery Assembly began with the reading of the Akathist of the Elevation of the Holy Cross and continued with our first guest on the Zoom platform, HG Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary, who addressed the theme of The Solemn Year of the Pastoral Care of Romanians Abroad. HG Siluan enumerated to those present the problems faced by the small Romanian community in Hungary. The hierarch emphasized that the preservation and affirmation of the Christian-Orthodox and Romanian identities are both important in the complicated spiritual and ethnic context in Hungary.

The second guest of the day on the Zoom platform was V. Rev. Fr. John Panagiotou, PhD, author of the book “The Path to Oikonomia with Jesus Christ as Our Lighthouse.” In a comprehensive presentation, Father spoke to the audience about the importance of serving in the Church and the difficulties the Orthodox Church faces in the United States in serving and administering parishes. The active involvement of both Church representatives and believers is a guarantee of the Church’s continued existence on this continent. Using several examples from the Old and New Testaments, such as the high priest Melchizedek, honored for his wise work, or the Savior's discussion with the rich ruler (Luke 18:18-27), Father Panagiotou emphasized that the idea of serving in the Church as God’s stewards, as those who receive the gift and turn it to God and fellow men.

Next, Mrs. Maria Dumbrăveanu, parishioner of St. Mary’s Parish in Dacula, GA, presented the Ladies’ Auxiliary report prepared by the organization’s Committee. This report lists several activities (meetings, spiritual conferences, educational and charitable actions) that the ladies of our parishes have been involved in the last two years.

Pompiliu Gîrlonța, president of ROYA (Romanian Orthodox Youth of the Americas), presented his association’s report, highlighting the beautiful achievements of this organization, among which we note the participation of five young people from the United States in the anniversary event at Putna Monastery this summer. “Putna - 150. Continuity of an ideal.”

The last presentation on the agenda belonged to Mrs. Anca Daian, from the parish of the Ss. Joachim and Ana, Seattle, WA. Mrs. Daian brought to the fore the Report of the Religious Education Commission: the educational activity in the Sunday Schools of the parishes on the West Coast and the catechetical program for adults. In difficult operating conditions and with limited resources, Sunday Schools have carried out their work mostly online.

At the end, the Deanery Consistory was elected and the designation of the host parish for the next Deanery Assembly in 2023, the parish of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, Torrance, CA, took place.

HE Metropolitan Nicolae expressed his gratitude to Fr. Nicodim Bibarț, the priests, delegates and the faithful of the parish of the Elevation of the Holy Cross for their participation and for the beautiful organization of this event.

Rev. Deacon Valentin Despoiu, Secretary of the Assembly