The year 2018 is important for the community of believers in Windsor, Canada. It celebrates 100 years since the foundation of the first church community here in the city.
Saturday evening the community organized a special event marking the centenial year. The festivities were attended by members of the Orthodox communities in the city. Members of local, provincial and federal authorities were also present: Drew Dilkens - Mayor of the City, Percy Hatfield - Member of Provincial Parliament Ontario, and Brian Masse - Member of the Federal Parliament of Canada.
The event was attended by His Grace Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, and Father Nicolae Codrea, priest of Descent of the Holy Spirit Parish, the second Romanian community in Windsor, with the parishioners.
The opening of the event was done with the prayer Our Father after which the national anthems of Romania and Canada were sung.
In the opening speech the hierarch made a short introduction into the history of the Romanian presence in Canada and of the role it had over time:
The year 2018 is a centennial anniversary year for the Romanian community from both Canada and Romania. It is the year of the reunification of the Romanian provinces in one country at the end of the First World War, but also the year when part of the Romanian communities in Canada have built their first churches as here in Windsor. The Romanians came to Canada at the end of 19th century. The first places of worship were built at the beginning of 20th century in the western part of Canada.
The Romanian community now numbers approximately 238,050 members in Canada after the last census in 2016.
Over time, Romanian communities have actively contributed to the development and flourishing of Canadian society through Christian values and the Romanian cultural tradition.
On the occasion of the event was presented a short documentary about the Windsor community realized with the help of George Plantus and several members of the community.
Also on this occasion, His Grace presented the new parish priest of St. George’s Cathedral, Rev. Father Constantin Bălăucă arrived recently.
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On the occasion of the anniversary year St. George's Cathedral hosted this summer the second Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, during which the actual church was reconsecrated. The Cathedral received from His Eminence Laurentiu, the Metropolitan of Ardeal, the guest of the congress, the relics of St. Andrei Saguna, and from His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian those of St. Martyr George.
