The great feast of Epiphany was celebrated with joy by the Romanian community in California. On Sunday, January 6, 2019, on the feast of Epiphany, HE Metropolitan Nicolae visited the Elevation of the Holy Cross parish of Upland, CA. Even if the forecast predicted a rainy day, with God’s help everyone in attendance could enjoy the great blessing of the water service under the California sun. At the time of the sermon, HE Nicolae spoke about the importance of the revelation of God’s Incarnate Son at the moment of Baptism in the Jordan River, and also about St. John the Baptist’s mission as a Forerunner. The divine revelation comes after the preparation through repentance, as St. John was preaching. Those with a pure soul, prepared, and looking for God are partakers of the revelation and are enlightened and blessed. At the beginning of every year, St. John’s urge to repentance, resumed by the Savior Himself, reminds us that God is giving us another chance to salvation which is to be used in the New Year. The parish priest, Archimandrite Nicodim Bibart, thanked HE Nicolae for his presence and the joy of serving together every year on the feast of Epiphany.
On Monday, January 7, 2019, for the feast of St. John the Baptist, HE Metropolitan Nicolae was present at Holy Archangels parish in Torrance, CA where he served the Divine Liturgy along with the parish priest, V. Rev. Fr. Mihai Carpeniseanu. HE Nicolae spoke about St. John the Baptist mission to identify and confess the Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Then, he explained the appeal to repentance of St. John, suitable appeal for every Christian on the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The parish of Torrance was founded in 1974 with the blessing of Archbishop Victorin. Between 1977 and 1993, the parish was served by Fr. Vasile Ignatescu, former professor and director at the Neamt Theological Seminary. Fr Mihai Carpeniseanu followed Fr. Vasile as a parish priest. Under his guidance, the current building was purchased and adorned according to the Orthodox tradition. Over the last years, the parish has begun the construction of a parish social hall, so necessary for the community’s activities, a project close to completion now.
HE Metropolitan Nicolae offered to both parishes the new antimisions of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America and explained their meaning.
