On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in Țigănești, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Thursday, 22 May, the day of the commemoration of the translation of the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (+345), from Myra in Lycia to Bari (1087).
In the morning, the Metropolitan was warmly welcomed by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Irinarh (Costru), the abbot of the monastery, together with the monastic brotherhood, the attending clergy, and the faithful gathered for the service.
His Eminence was assisted at the service by Archimandrite Irinarh and a group of priests and deacons.
Liturgical responses were offered by the choir of Țigănești Monastery, under the direction of Mr Daniel Bostanica.
Marking the 300-year jubilee of the monastery’s founding, and in recognition of his diligent service for the glory and benefit of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, during the Small Entrance, Father Abbot Archimandrite Irinarh was awarded the “Order of Gratitude” by the Orthodox Church of Moldova.
Additionally, the monastery’s clergy received high ecclesiastical honours:
- Archimandrites Roman (Pașa), Gherman (Ciubotaru), Sebastian (Balan), and Hieromonks Veniamin (David) and Zosima (Scurcan) were granted the right to serve the Divine Liturgy with the Great Doors open until the Lord’s Prayer;
- Hieromonk Tihon (Codrean) was granted the right to serve with the Great Doors open until the Cherubim Hymn;
- Hieromonks Andronic (Vasilachi) and Ieronim (Harmaniuc) were granted the right to wear the epigonation (palitza);
- Hieromonk Ignatie (Blinov) received the right to wear the golden cross;
- Archdeacon Ioachim (Cîrlan) was awarded an archpastoral diploma;
- Deacon Igor Heiu was granted the right to wear the kamilavka;
- Deacons Serghei Carare and Ioan Budu were granted the right to wear the double orarion.
The Divine Liturgy was further embellished by the ordination of Subdeacon Vladislav Moroz, a MA student at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest, to the diaconate.
Following the Liturgy, Metropolitan Vladimir consecrated the site where a new church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist will be built. This new church will include three altars, with the following dedications: Saint John the Baptist, the Icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”, and Saint Great Martyr Pantelimon.
Synodal Sector for Institutional Communication and Media Relations