Joys and Achievements — Five Luminous and Fruitful Years in the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
For the Romanian Orthodox in Canada, May 6-7 is a day of great celebration and special spiritual joy. With much gratitude to our Creator, every year we bow our knees and thank God the Father who overwhelmed us, in His great mercy with the gift of having a Romanian Diocese of Canada. The desire of over four decades of Romanian Orthodox from Canada became a reality 5 years ago on May 6-7, 2017 by the enthronement of the first Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian.
This year, the series of events dedicated to this festive day began with the participation of all of us, on Friday, May 6, 2022, united in prayer, at the service of the Vigil. At sunset we prayed to Him, the Sun of Righteousness, to enlighten us and strengthen our faith, tradition, and love of God. At the Vigil service led by His Grace the Bishop Ioan Casian served Archpriest George Chiscă, Protosinghel Maxim Morariu, Father Constantin Ciubotariu, Father Adrian Manea. Father George Drăgan joined the assembly.
In the sermon addressed to the faithful, HG Bishop Ioan Casian referred to the Protectors of our Diocese: Our Lady the Virgin Maria, St. Andrew the Apostle and St. John Casian, who are our role models and our encouragement. The hierarch emphasized that:
“This evening of prayer invites us to discover the patterns we have before us through our patron Saints, who intertwine the holiness of God, the joy of restoring our humanity with the signs that this holiness of Christ leaves in our humanity. The saints are the signs of God's work in our history.”
On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated and followed by the Tedeum service, in which the participating priests and faithful thanked God for the rich gifts he poured out on His Grace Ioan Casian, but also on the whole Diocese. Along with the Diocesan Bishop, there was a group of priests led by Reverend Father Viorel Țencaliuc - Archpriest of Canada Center, Father Olimpiu Mărginean - Diocesan Secretary, Father Petre Busuioc - Diocesan Inspector, Protosinghelos Maxim Morariu, Father Grigore Țăpuc, Father Ion Ceaușu, Father Adrian Manea, Father Ciprian Purcărea, Father Lucian Azoiței, Hieromonk Policarp Athenagoras and Father Emanuel Țencaliuc.
His Grace Ioan Casian made, at the end of the Tedeum service, a short history of our young diocese, underlining the fact that:
“The founding act of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada is the decision taken in the Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas in Hamilton, Ontario, from July 1-3, 2016, by the parishes and the monasteries form Canada, to establish the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada. This decision was approved by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the meeting of October 28-29, 2016. And on May 6-7, 2017, we rejoiced and consecrated together, clergy and believers, this moment through the inaugural Congress, the Divine Liturgy and the enthronement of its first hierarch – HG Bishop Ioan Casian. This meant a new beginning for Romanian Orthodox in Canada.”
The celebration continued with a fraternal agape in which the hierarch warmly thanked for the prayers and the warm wishes and showed that the day of his enthronement in the highest dignity in the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada is a day that belongs equally to His Grace and to the whole Diocese, in this way thanking the members of the Diocesan Council and the departments of the diocese, to all the faithful who by dedication with time and without time make us now at this festive moment to see a real effervescence of the life of our diocese.
His Eminence Nicolae, the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of the Americas, also virtually joined the anniversary festivities, addressing a congratulatory message and appreciating the rich activity of the new diocese so far. Also, Father George Bâzgan, administrative - vicar of the Diocese, also connected virtually from Western Canada and pronouncing a festive speech.
At the hour of joy and thanks we address to the Primate of the Diocese, the clergy and the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada warm wishes of health and happiness, holy help from God in pastoral, missionary and cultural activity to strengthen Romanian Orthodoxy here in Canada.
Many years to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada!
Many years Your Grace, Ioan Casian!
(notes by Carmen Ognean)
