The Parish in Richmond Hill Celebrated Its Second Patronal Feast

On the 33rd Sunday after Pentecost, which marks the beginning of the Triodion period, the Romanian Orthodox Parish “St. Great Martyr Demetrius and the Three Holy Hierarchs” in Richmond Hill, Ontario, had the joy of welcoming His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, who celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with Fr. Viorel Țencaliuc the parish priest.

Within a special liturgical context dedicated to preparation for Great Lent, the hierarch addressed the faithful on the importance of repentance, humility, and responsibility in Christian life, focusing on the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. His homily called for an authentic living of the faith beyond formalism, and for a sincere turning of the heart toward God.

First, His Grace spoke about the liturgical period of the Triodion:

“Today’s Sunday, the 33rd after Pentecost, marks the beginning of one of the most important periods of the church year: the Triodion period.

The church year is divided into several liturgical periods, each with its own rhythm of prayer and spiritual life. One of these is the Triodion, which precedes the great feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. It includes Great Lent but begins several weeks earlier through four preparatory Sundays meant to help us gradually enter into the spirit of repentance and ascetic effort.

Today’s Sunday opens a period in which the emphasis is placed especially on repentance, humility, and the sincere return of man to God.”

“The Triodion is a period of progressive preparation. Through fasting, prayer, and spiritual askesis, we seek to diminish the power of the passions that dominate both body and soul. During this time, the number of religious services increases, the liturgical order changes, and special prayers of repentance are introduced, such as the Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, which becomes a constant presence in the life of the Church.

All of this shows us that physical effort is founded first and foremost on spiritual effort. Man’s fall was initially a spiritual fall, a distancing from God, from which later arose weakness, illness, and the hardships of life. Man does not fall willingly, but out of weakness, trusting the word of the evil one more than the word of God. Therefore, the road of return always begins in the heart.”

The hierarch then continued with a reflection on the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee:

“Today’s Gospel is short, but extremely profound. The Savior speaks to us about two men who went up to the temple to pray: one a Pharisee and the other a Publican.

The pharisee was a learned man, knowledgeable of the Law, who respected tradition, fasted, gave tithes, and fulfilled the commandments. From an outward perspective, he appeared to be a model believer. Yet his prayer was filled with pride and contempt: ‘I am not like this sinful publican.’

The publican, on the other hand, belonged to a category despised by the people because of the injustices they committed. He did not dare lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and said: ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ He was conscious of his burdened conscience and sincerely acknowledged his faults.”

“Surprisingly, the Savior tells us that the publican, and not the pharisee, returned home justified. Not because the pharisee’s good deeds were wrong, but because they were done with pride and self-sufficiency. He believed he no longer needed God, that he was already righteous through his own merits.

This is the great teaching of this parable: we can do nothing good without God’s help. True righteousness begins with humility of heart.”

“Even if our past is not pure, even if we have sinned greatly, if we sincerely turn to God and acknowledge our weaknesses, He receives us and raises us up. But if we fulfill our religious duties formally and remain arrogant, critical, and contemptuous toward others, our faith becomes impoverished.”

The Romanian hierarch further spoke about the responsibility and authenticity of Christians within the Church: “The fact that we are members of the Church is not, in itself, a guarantee of salvation. It is a great opportunity and a great responsibility, but also a call to action. Baptism has granted us forgiveness of ancestral sin and the grace of God, but this grace must be worked through our lives. Otherwise, at judgment, it becomes evidence of unfulfilled responsibility.”

“An unbaptized person who is merciful, humble, and loving may have a heart closer to God than a baptized Christian who lacks love. We see this in the example of the thief on the cross, who through sincere repentance received Paradise. Therefore, we are called to unite two things in our lives: the zeal of the pharisee and the humility of the publican. Let us fast, pray, give alms, and be involved in the life of the Church—but without pride, without judgment, and without contempt.”

“These weeks of the Triodion prepare us for Great Lent, for a journey of spiritual renewal. They teach us humility, repentance, responsibility, and hope. Great Lent is a call to restore the path lost through sin, to return to God through the grace of the Holy Spirit, through the Holy Mysteries, and through our free will. God works in our lives, but not without our consent. Nothing is accomplished without a sincere desire for change.”

Through the word spoken on this preparatory Sunday of the Triodion, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian offered the faithful a true spiritual guide for the period ahead, emphasizing the need to combine zeal with humility, ascetic effort with love, and spiritual discipline with sincere repentance. His exhortation called the entire community present to assume responsibility for Christian life on the path of spiritual renewal.

Thus, the meeting with the hierarch became for the faithful not only a moment of liturgical joy, but also an opportunity for strengthening in faith, reflection, and commitment on the path of salvation.

The event also marked the celebration of the parish’s second patronal feast: the Three Holy Hierarchs.

The day concluded with a festive meal organized by the ladies of the parish.

(notes by Nun Ana Bulgariu)