In Orthodox Churches, this evening, the service of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. This service is specific to the Great Lent and is celebrated during the first week, over the first four days. At the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, the service was celebrated by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, surrounded by many priests and deacons.

The Great Lent means repentance and prayer for the whole Church, said His Beatitude, in his sermon: 'The time of the Great Lent or the Lent of the Holy Pascha is first of all a time of prayer and repentance. Fasting is joined by prayer and prayer is joined by repentance. Fasting predisposes us to more prayer, humble prayer. As we pray more, we feed more from the presence of the Grace of God, through the loving presence of Christ, Who listens to the humble prayer joined by fasting. Through it our soul is nourished, prayer is food for the soul, it lights the mind, warms the heart and strengthens the will to love God more, to remember Him more often, to thank Him for the gift of life and to ask Him salvation as eternal life.'