The feast of St. Leontie from Rădăuți and Canada Day

at St. George's Diocesan Cathedral in Saint-Hubert

Saturday, July 1, the Cathedral dedicated to St. George and St. Epictetus and Astion of Saint-Hubert dressed in festive garb. The faithful present were glad to be able to honor St. Leontie from Rădăuți and St. Doctors miracle wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian from Rome. The Holy Liturgy was performed by His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian who had Protos. Maxim Morariu by his side. The responses at strana were given by protopsalt Andrei Ghebaru.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, a Te Deum service was performed for Canada Day.

In his address to those present at the end of the service, the hierarch said:

"Today we celebrated the Holy Liturgy on the occasion of the feast of St. Leontie from Rădăuți a special man as ascetic, monk, faithful man who will be elected on the seat of Rădăuţi as a hierarch, miracle worker and good guide of souls. At the end of his life he will retire again to the monastery to continue the ascetic life. (...) It is more than 600 years since then that we see that holy people lived on the territories of the Romanian states.

Also, I mentioned - St. Cosmas and Damian miracle wonderworkers and doctors. There are two saints who assumed the charitable work of God, who through their healing work not only human but also divine, they are the ones who bring relief to God's people who were in suffering.

Last but not least, I want to remind you of the Canada Day that we are celebrating today. During the Te Deum service we thanked for all the blessings that God has given to this land to the Canadian and Romanian people. But today is the day dedicated to Canada in this North American land in which so many wonderful things happened and in which we as Romanians coming here have the duty to contribute with our powers, vocation, charismas, and gifts to the improvement of the things that happen in the society here.

The Gospel I read is very clear. The question addressed to the Savior is whether it is justified to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Christ answers pertinently, clearly and balanced asking them to present the coin in question. It is justified to return to the possessor what is his. But from here it does not mean for us Christians that we have to pass to the other extremis, that is to give to Caesar what is God's. The great work that the Christian has been trying for centuries, even for millennia I would say, is to render to God what is due to God and to Caesar what is Caesar's.

We have crossed different eras, and the last one was known by all those who came from Romania. There were people who gave Caesar more than what was due, that is, the political regime or the leadership of the time. The Church teaches us that every society has its particular work that is socially good but also has a part that is less suitable and there as Christians we had this responsibility to look for ways to correct these things because the moment they automatically installs in society the consequences and inappropriate ways of functioning act inappropriately within it. Let's enjoy every time we are in a country that lived more freely, but this does not mean that these countries, whatever they are, are perfect societies. We see it quite clearly in the media.

That is why we, as Christians, have the duty to be vigilant, to propose values and strategies that have stood the test of time in Christian history and that have given the right results, put things right, brought well-being and goodness to the citizens of the society in which they lived. And that is why we also have this duty of vigilance today regarding Christian values and our divine work in the Church. Amen."

At the end, HG Bishop Ioan Casian blessed those present.