Saturday July 20th on the occasion of the celebration of St. Prophet Elijah Bishop Ioan Casian was present at the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New in Mono.
In the sermon pronounced at the end of the Divine Liturgy the hierarch said:
The Troparion of St. Prophet Elijah calls him "foundation of the prophets". St. Elijah lives before the other prophets of Israel and through his vocation opens the way of awakening the people to the worship of the true God.
St. Prophet Elijah is an example of life for us today from many points of view. He is an example of faith and faithfulness to God, regardless of the difficulties of the times and enemies whom he opposes. He is the one who fulfills the commandments becoming the voice of God's will, which calls for repentance by natural signs, that is, the drought. It is a blessing for the widow of Sarepta of Sidon, when he raises her son. There is also ‘another Moses' going up to Mount Horeb where he meets God 'who appeared to him in a thin wind, blowing quietly through the bright air.'
The Archimandrite Lucian Coroi and Rev. Fr. Viorel Țencaliuc – dean, served along the hierarch.
At the end of the religious service the believers were blessed by the bishop.
