Christ is risen!

With great sadness, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada learnt of the tragic event that took place on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 in the province of Nova Scotia in eastern Canada. The largest incident of its kind in Canadian history left at least 23 victims behind.

HG Bishop Ioan Casian, together with the clergy and the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, are close to those affected by this tragedy in prayer.

“The Easter time for us Christians are days of joy and hope because of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ on the third day from the dead. This year this time is shadowed by this tragic event in which several lives were brutally terminated.

For the Orthodox Christians the Savior Christ is the example par excellence that taught all His public life kindness, forgiveness, love, the need for charitable deeds. Events like the one in Nova Scotia show us that we do not live in a perfect world and that we have a duty to be spiritual and humanly vigilant in order to discourage this type of event. The words of the Savior Jesus Christ are exhorting us to make every effort to rectify the facts that are not appropriate in our life. Faith and the help of God's grace are essential parts of this endeavor.

The Church lives from the hope of God's care for all the people in this world. But she is also aware of the need for a personal and collective effort to better things around us.

These Easter days are shadowed by sadness because of the tragedy that affects us all when we celebrate the most important event for us Christians - the resurrection of Christ.

May the light of the resurrection bring relief to the affected families and give repose to the victims of this sad event.”

HG Bishop Ioan Casian asks all - clergy and believers - of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada to pray in the coming days for all those affected - living or asleep.

April 21, 2020

[Press Office of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada]