Commemoration of those fallen asleep and visit to a hierarchal metokion

Saturday, February 18, HG Bishop Ioan Casian served the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Saturday of defuncts in St. George Parish in Bacău. The hierarch was greeted by a group of priests: Archimandrite Nicodim Bitic, Rev. Gheorghe Chirică - parish priest, Rev. Ciprian Ioan Ignat, Rev. Adrian Viorel Popa, Archdeacon. Nectarios and deacon. Alexander.

During the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Eftimie, Bishop Partenie and all the priests who served in St. George Parish were commemorated.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the hierarch of Canada addressed few words to those present:

"We are present on this day of commemoration of those fallen asleep. We come every time on these special days to remember our loved ones who have gone to the Lord. But we also come to pray for the repose of their souls. The Divine Liturgy that we concluded is the mystery of mysteries. It is the sacrament that unites heaven and earth. It is the mystery in which those who fell asleep and those of us who live here on earth are present together before God. All those who are dear to us, whom you mark on the memorials that you bring, are mentioned at the Holy Proskomidia together with us and therefore they are before God on the Holy Disc. This assures us that there remains a full communion between us and them in God even though they have left the earthly life.

But the Divine Liturgy is a moment and a sign of communion between us who live geographically far away and those here in the country. Even if separated by geographical distances we are close in prayer. Prayer and in particular the Divine Liturgy is the moment of communion for all of us in which time disappears before the eternity of God. We from far away and those from here in the country are together during God's time, during the Divine Liturgy. It is a time of communion, remembrance and living in the holy time that God offers us. He encompasses us all.

That is why it is a great comfort to all of us who have lost a loved one. Those fallen asleep are with us in God."

HG Bishop Ioan Casian together with the clergy went to the central cemetery and served the 7-year memorial service for Rev. Fr. Constantin Leontie, professor of theology and well-known priest in the city of Bacău.

Next, the Bishop of Canada visited the hierarchical metokion of Roman and Bacău Archdiocese in Itești, dedicated to St. Joachim and Ana. He visited the wooden church, the refectory, the cells and got to know the community of nuns. The day ended with a communal meal.