Sunday, 21 October 2018, on the first Sunday after the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, numerous church-goers from the entire country arrived in the Dormition of the Mother of God monastery in Hirbovat, Calarasi, to participate in the first Divine Liturgy in the honour of the wonder-working icon of the Theotokos of Hirbovat.
According to the decision of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova (of 13 June 2018), the Service in the veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God in Hirbovat and the Feast of All Saints shown in the lands of Moldova were transferred from 1/14 October, the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, to the first Sunday after that Feast.
Thus, early Sunday morning, after arriving in the Monastery of Hirbovat, hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Moldova greeted Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and all Moldova in order to unite prayers during the Divine Liturgy.
The Divine Service was officiated by Metropolitan Vladimir, who prayed together with Archbishop Sava of Tiraspol and Dubasari and Bishop Petru of Ungheni and Nisporeni. The hierarchs were assisted at the Liturgy by numerous priests and deacons from the diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni, as well as guests clerics arrived from other dioceses of the Orthodox Church of Moldova.
During the Service, Metropolitan Vladimir awarded a number of church distinctions and awards to clerics of the Orthodox Church.
A Thanks-Giving Service was officiated after the Liturgy, with special prayers and hymns in veneration of the Mother of God.
After the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Petru of Ungheni and Nisporeni delivered a message of praise of the Theotokos, referring also to the history of her icon kept in Hirbovat Monastery.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations.