Thousands of faithful of the whole Diocese of Giurgiu attended today, 23 April, the re-consecration service of the Episcopal Cathedral of Giurgiu city, and Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, together with a group of 14 hierarchs as follows: His Eminence Neofit, Metropolitan of Ruse – Bulgaria, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch, His Eminence Teodosie, Archbishop of Tomis, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, His Grace Vicentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, His Grace Ambrozie, Bishop of Giurgiu, His Grace Galaction, Bishop of Alexandria and Teleorman, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, His Grace Gurie, Bishop of Deva and Hunedoara, His Grace Mihail, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Australia and New Zealand, His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, His Grace Andrei Fagarasanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Sibiu, His Grace Paisie Lugojanul, Assistant Bishop to Archdiocese of Timisoara, and His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic.

In the sermon delivered during the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude emphasized the teaching resulted from the Gospel read today: “Both the Apostle and today’s Gospel were scheduled within the Church to be read on the remembrance day of a martyr. As today we celebrate or remember Saint Great George, Victory Bearer and Miracle Worker, the Apostle and Gospel prepare our soul to understand how those who confessed Christ had to suffer in various centuries of the Church life, of Christianity. Lots of them paid their faith in Christ, with their own life”.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also explained the relationship between the relics of the martyrs and the re-consecration of the Cathedral: “The re-consecration of this Cathedral has a special relation with the relics of the martyr saints. Whenever an Orthodox Church is consecrated or re-consecrated relics of martyrs are carried in procession around the Cathedral or Church. These are not the relics of pious faithful, not of confessors who did not scarify themselves but only confessed the faith. These are the relics of those who sacrificed their lives for Christ. Why? Because the martyrs have the strongest faith. They are crowned and become good martyr defeaters because the Spirit of Christ defeated in them the spirit of this decayed world.”

Before re-consecrating the Episcopal Cathedral of Giurgiu, the Patriarch of Romania was awarded the title citizen of honour of Giurgiu city. The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church was met by the Guard of Honour who saluted him, and then the distinction was presented by Mr. Lucian Iliescu, mayor of Giurgiu city, on the steps of the Episcopal Cathedral.

It was also today that the Episcopal Residence within the Saint George Monastery of Giurgiu was consecrated. The Patriarch of Romania consecrated and inaugurated the church together with 13 hierarchs, members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. To end with the consecration service, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church offered an icon of Saint Dionisios Exiguus and a blessing cross for the Episcopal Residence and for the Monastery of “Saint Great Martyr George”.