During the period of November 11-15, 2022, by the grace of God and with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, Father Daniel Ene was in the midst of the Romanian community and the larger Orthodox community of Ecuador. Father Daniel was accompanied by Her Excellency Mrs. Camelia Ion Radu, the Ambassador of Romania to Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.
Saint Joseph the New from Partoș, the Patron Saint of the Romanian community and of all the Orthodox faithful in Ecuador, interceded before God, and thus, the days spent in Ecuador were full of blessings and prayer.
On Saturday, November 12, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Romanian and Spanish in the Ecuadorian capital, at the Capilla Catolica de la Resurrection, RG26+X87, Quito Ecuador 170517. Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, there was a meeting with the Romanian Orthodox community and with many Palestinian, Ecuadorian, and Russian Orthodox faithful from the capital area. It should be noted that there is no canonical Orthodox church in Quito. With tears in their eyes, all those present participated in the Divine Liturgy, confessed, and received Holy Communion. expressing their profound gratitude with tears in their eyes, and asking Father Daniel to thank His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae for his concern for them, and for showing again his desire to have an Orthodox church in the jurisdiction of our Metropolia in Quito. On this occasion, a petition was also presented, which will soon be sent to His Eminence regarding this matter. Father Daniel welcomed the involvement of the Orthodox community in the preparation of this visit. He especially thanked young Daniel Andrade for all his efforts and Mrs. Mădălina Chirilă – the heart of the Romanian community in Quito – who, to promote Romanian culture, prepared an impressive stand, which was appreciated by all the Ecuadorians in attendance.
Sunday, November 13, 2022, was a historic day for Ecuador and the country's Orthodox community. A six-hour drive away from Quito, on the ocean shore in the city of Guayaquil, the first Orthodox church in Ecuador, under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was consecrated. Father Daniel was the delegate of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae to this event, at the invitation of His Eminence Kirilo, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Buenos Aires and Central and South America. Sunday morning began with the baptism of seven Ecuadorian adults and the day continued with the consecration of the Serbian Orthodox Monastery "The Annunciation" in Laurel es #317 y la Alianza, Urdesa Central, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
During the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Basili was ordained a priest in the chapel of the monastery. Also participating in this event were Her Excellency, Mrs. Camelia Ion Radu, Ambassador of Romania in Peru and Mrs. Maria Fernanda Para, Honorary Consul of Romania in Guayaquil. Father Archimandrite Rafail, the Abbot of the Monastery, thanked Father Daniel and the Romanian officials for their presence, emphasizing the friendship between the two Churches and welcoming the intention of our Metropolitan to establish a parish in Quito. The following days offered the opportunity for official meetings with members of the Romanian business community and with local officials in Guayaquil.
Fr. Daniel Ene
