His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian: participation in the church consecration

Sunday, October 2, was a day of celebration for the parish dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord and Protection of the Mother of God from Moinești/Lucăcești, Bacău county. On this date, it was decided to consecrate the place of worship, popularly called the 'oilmen's cathedral.'

In the morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Veniamim, the bishop of South Bessarabia and His Grace Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox bishop of Canada. Alongside the two hierarchs served Rev. Fr. Costel Mareș - dean, Rev. Fr. Ioan Preotu who built the church, Rev. Fr. Andrei Iscu Neagu, the new parish priest, and a significant number of priests from the surroundings. The mayor of Moinești, Mr. Valentin Vieru was present too. The responses at strana were given by the Armonia choir.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy HEm Archbishop Ioachim together with the two hierarchs and the group of priests continued with the church's consecration service.

In conclusion, the archbishop spoke about the importance of the spiritual work and the contribution of the faithful to the construction of the holy place. The hierarch also spoke about the role of the Church in the lives of believers. "This house God the Father built with our hands. This house God the Son renewed by our hands. This house God the Holy Spirit has illuminated and sanctified our souls. As a conclusion of the day, understand today that our souls cannot be saved without passing through the Church of God where they partake the Holy Mysteries, the food for eternal life. ... God has no hands but ours; God has no other word than our working and constructive word; it has no other feet than our feet that walk on the path of salvation, that path that Christ indicated to us."

On this occasion, the Cross of the Lower Country was awarded to Rev. Fr. Ioan Preotu for his merits in raising the church and several diplomas of merit to the founders and donors of the church.