Message

At this moment of special blessing, as the painting of the National Cathedral is being consecrated, we offer glory and thanksgiving to God, Who has deemed us worthy to witness the fulfillment of a historic ideal and the heartfelt desire of many generations of faithful Romanians.

The National Cathedral stands as a living testimony of the faith and unity of the Romanian people. It rises as an altar of our nation, a sacred sign of the bond between the Church and the people, between heaven and earth, between history and eternity.

Through its adornment with mosaic painting, the faces of the saints and the radiance of the colors clothe this holy place in spiritual beauty, making it an icon of the Kingdom of God in the midst of the world. The painting is not merely art, but prayer in color, the Gospel in image, a call to holiness and to communion with Christ.

This moment of consecration renews the bond of the Romanian people with God and reminds us that all the great achievements of our history have been and remain the fruit of faith, sacrifice, and hope.

Let us therefore rejoice and give thanks to the Lord for this precious gift, praying that the light of this Cathedral and its blessing may be poured out upon our entire nation — for faith, peace, unity, and salvation.

Glory be to God for all things!

† Ioan Casian

Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada