Tuesday, 3 June, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantin and his mother Helen, the first hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir officiated the service of consecration of the Holy Table and Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Mindresti, Telenesti region.
In the morning, the Hierarch was warmly welcomed by the parish priest, Archpriest Constantin Porcescu, along with his family, a group of concelebrating priests, and the faithful of the community.
The Divine Service began with the rite of the Consecration of the Holy Table, an essential element of any church, symbolising the life-giving tomb of Christ.
Concelebrating to the Metropolitan were His Eminence Isachie, Archbishop of Vorzeli and Vicar of the Metropolis of Kyiv; Archpriest Marian Boldescu, Dean of Telenești; Archpriest Constantin Porcescu, parish priest; monastic superiors, and a number of invited priests and deacons.
During the Divine Liturgy, at the Small Entrance, the parish priest, Fr Constantin, was awarded the Order of Saint Hierarch Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni, Second Class, in recognition of his diligent work within the parish. Archpriest Alexandru Nicorici was also decorated with the Order of Saint Hierarch Dionisie Erhan, Second Class.
The liturgical responses were offered by the choir of priests’ wives from Ungheni, conducted by Mrs Iozefina Vizitiu-Gajim.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a procession was held around the church with the reading of the four festal Gospels, followed by a thanksgiving Te Deum to the Lord for all the blessings poured upon this parish. His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir congratulated the faithful present on this significant occasion in the church’s history.
In turn, the parish priest expressed his heartfelt gratitude to His Eminence for graciously sharing in the liturgical joy of the feast with the faithful of the parish.
Fr Constantin’s family offered a set of panagias to Metropolitan Vladimir and a panagia to Archbishop Isachie, thanking them sincerely for participating in this deeply meaningful celebration, marking both the 155th anniversary of the laying of the church’s foundation stone and the Patron Feast day of both the parish priest and his wife.
As a blessing and token of remembrance, Metropolitan Vladimir gifted the faithful with icons and prayer booklets, wishing them continued spiritual growth and commemorating this historic day in the life of the parish.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Media Relations