The year 2019 became significant for all the Christian members of the parishes, missions and monasteries of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada and generally of all those belonging to the Romanian Patriarchate through an already consecrated binomial missionary and commemorative axis: The Homage Year of the Romanian Village (of the priests, teachers and mayors) and The Anniversary Year of Patriarchs Nicodim Munteanu and Iustin Moisescu and the church translators in the Romanian Patriarchate. If the homage theme is clearly oriented towards the example of the village / community - a model of collaboration and harmonization of the minister, educator and organizer - represented by priest, teacher and mayor, the commemorative theme remembers personalities representative of the good church order by thinking and action, namely patriarchs Nicodim and Iustin. The two themes allow an intelligent deepening of the concrete reality of the society / community represented by the three factors - ministry, education and organization - that mold, educate and create a way of being authentic, consistent and coherent with the foundation of the human nature but also a relationship with other Christian cultures and not only that make an important, essential and constructive contribution to the foundation of the general human and Christian thinking and experience in particular.

In this context, Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, who served the Divine Liturgy at Saint George's Cathedral in Saint-Hubert being assisted by Rev. Fr. Daniel Sandu and Rev. Fr. Traian Petre,  on the first day of the civilian year 2019, developed several meditation themes and action in the sermon held on this occasion. His Grace said:

There are three things that carry our thoughts on the first day of calendar year 2019: the Gospel preparing for the Feast of the Epiphany, that of the Lord’s Circumcision and the personality of St. Basil the Great.

Speaking on the first the hierarch said:

St. John the Baptist draws attention to the fulfillment of the Old Testament’s prophecies. Wait time is over. The moment of fulfillment begins with the public activity of our Savior Jesus Christ. All are fulfilled in Christ and with Christ. It puts the foundation of our road towards eternity that begins here.

Referring to the second Gospel, the hierarch continued:

The text on the bodily circumcision of the Savior Jesus Christ reminds us of the necessity of the practical element in a healthy living faith. Jesus Christ, "in whom the fullness of the divinity dwelt," subjected to the Old Testament ordinance of circumcision - a sign of belonging to the faithful people of God, He who did not need this because He was without sin and Son of the heavenly Father. He has shown us the abyssal humility of God.

Speaking of St. Basil the Great, His Grace showed in the great cappadocian the concrete embodiment of Christian teachings:

St. Basil the Great is the example of the embodiment of the Christian model in the concrete human reality. He is the hierarch who totally dedicated himself to God and to the Church of his time. He is celebrated for the holiness of his life, for his way of teaching the faith, and the harmonious synthesis of the speculative and practical qualities happened in his life. Founder of monastic communities, schools and hospitals for the needy, the great cappadocian intervened to the political leaders of his time in favor of alleviating the sufferings of the people and of the Church's freedom to confess the true faith. Authentic man of prayer, he leaves to the Church the Divine Liturgy bearing his name, a sign of the quality of his dialogue with God and men. Diplomat in things of the Spirit, he engages in solving disputes and misunderstandings in the Church of his time. At the same time, he remains a founder and clarifier of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, about the social responsibility of each Christian towards others in the light of the faith. He emphasizes the importance of Divine Liturgy in the feeding an authentic Christian faith and life. It urges young people not to be afraid of their societies' currents of thought, but to be like bees who know how to discern and to collect only the necessary for the benefit of their lives in accordance with Christian teachings.

In conclusion, His Grace Ioan Casian blessed those present at the first Divine Liturgy of 2019, wishing them blessed fulfillments.

The byzantine choral group led by Valentin Botu offered the answers during the Divine Liturgy.