Historic moment in the Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Windsor, Ontario
On the fifth Sunday after Pentecost, His Grace Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, was among the faithful of the Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish in Windsor, Ontario. On this occasion, the hierarch officiated the Holy and Divine Liturgy, and later the service of reconsecration of the crosses of the church. These were consecrated 82 years ago, on September 16, 1939, by Father Ioan Spăriosu, the parish priest of the church at that time. Recently, the faithful of the small church community in Windsor have begun an extensive process of rehabilitation of the five towers that adorn the church.
Speaking to the faithful, the hierarch of Canada said: "Sunday is the day we celebrate Christ and His work of our resurrection and restoration for our salvation. This Sunday we have two important readings: one from the Epistle to the Romans and the Gospel of two demoniacs’ healing. In the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul shows us that the Jewish of the Old Testament were called to receive God's righteousness after the humanity through Adam had departed from His law. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it (Romans 10, 3-4).
HG Bishop Ioan Casian further commented on the evangelical text, drawing on the essential teachings: "Today's Gospel of Matthew presents not only a miracle, but from it we can understand other important aspects for us. In Gadara, a rather pagan city, Jesus meet two demonized people. Dialogue Him and the two demonized people through whom the devil spoke reveals His true identity as God and the role of the evil: What do you have with us, Son of God? says the demons. First: the devil knows who he is talking to, addressing the Savior directly as the Son of God. This means that the devil uses deception only regarding man, for to make the latter believe that there is no God. Second: the devil says that the world belongs to him at least for a while. However, God is the creator and master of all, the devil being only a creature. The world never belonged to the evil one. The work of the devil is limited and temporary, being permitted by God for edification.
The demons do not try in any attempt to change their request to be sent into the pigs that were grazing nearby because they knew that there could be no negotiation with God. The Savior shows in this way their wickedness, letting them enter the herd of pigs, letting them throw themselves into the sea and drowning."
Afterwards, the parish priest, Father Nicolae Codrea thanked all those present for their involvement in the rehabilitation project of the Church, while showing the importance of the historical event in which they all participated: "The day of July 25, 2021 will remain in the history of our church as the day when the five crosses, which adorn our holy church, were re-consecrated. With God's permission, two years ago we all committed ourselves, young and old, to this beautiful project to rehabilitate the towers of our church. An expensive, long-term project for our small church. Today is a historic day, and if 82 years ago Father Ioan Spăriosu, the parish priest in 1939, left a note on the Holy Gospel by which he marked this important event in the life of the parish - the consecration of the crosses on the church, now we also considered that we should leave a note on the Holy Gospel, by which we should inform our descendants that our generation, those who live 88 years after the founding of the church, were close to the Holy Church and have kept the faith pure, undefiled as it was received from our parents and forefathers.”
The celebration of the parish was also attended by Father Viorel Țencaliuc, Dean for Central Canada, Father Dragoș Giulea from the Cathedral Holy Martyr George and the Holy Hierarch Andrei Șaguna from Windsor, as well as Father John Ayoub. For the pastoral-missionary and rich activity, carried out by Father Nicolae Codrea in the parish, HG Bishop Ioan Casian awarded him the rank of iconomos-stavrophore.
The project to replace the five towers of the Church was carried out by High Standard Installation Ltd. of Calgary Alberta and is part of a larger project to rehabilitate the entire place of worship. An important partner in this project is the City of Windsor, Department of Heritage.
