“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8, 34).
On the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Nativity of the Lord Metropolitan Cathedral in Chisinau.
The Archpastor was assisted at the Service by the Metropolitan secretary and Metropolitan Cathedral’s dean, Mitred Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, and the Cathedral’s clergy.
“Beloved in Christ! In a Christian’s life, the Cross means sacrifice. However, people today don’t wish to sacrifice themselves. Moreover, people often disregard those who sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.
Our life is a cross. Each of us has a cross to bear, be it big or small, gold, silver, or wood cross. And all those who refuse to bear their own cross undergo a shift of attitude, becoming hostile to those who take up their cross. Those who bear their cross, they serve the Church, their neighbour, and they offer themselves to the society, they sacrifice themselves for the sake of the peace in the world.
We all want to live better – we want a better life for ourselves, for those around us, for the entire society. Let us improve our lives through the Cross. Not by accusations and calumnies, but with the help of the Cross. The Cross, not just a decoration, not just jewellery we wear on our neck, but the simple Cross, inscribed in our hearts. The Cross is the road to the Heavenly Kingdom, it’s the symbol of our live”, mentioned His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir in their pastoral message to the church-goers.
In the end of the Service, all those present in the church came up to the Metropolitan’s blessing and were offered spiritual gifts – icons of Blessed Agafia of Cuselauca, recently beatified by the Orthodox Church of Moldova
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