On the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, the day of the honoring of the icon of the Mother of God in the city of Kazan, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, the First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, celebrates 35 years of arch-pastoral ministry.
The Holy and Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Lord in Chisinau by His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, the First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova (OCM), with the members of the Synod of the OCM: Archbishop Sava of Tiraspol and Dubăsari, Archbishop Anatolie of Cahul and Comrat, Archbishop Petru of Ungheni and Nisporeni, Archbishop Marchel of Balti and Fălești, Archbishop Nicodim of Edinet and Briceni, Bishop Ioan of Soroca and Drochia, vicar Bishop Siluan of Orhei and Filaret of Căpriana, Bishop Nicolae of Ceadir-Lunga, vicar of the Diocese of Cahul and Comrat, Bishop Patrocl of Dondușeni, vicar of the Diocese of Edinet and Briceni, protopriest Vadim Cheibash, Metropolitan Secretary, district deans, abbots, and priests and deacons.
His Eminence Archbishop Anatoly spoke on behalf of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, expressing high appreciation for the merits of His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, his care and hard work for the revival of Orthodox spirituality, for the promotion and guarding of spiritual values in today’s secularized world. At the same time, on the occasion of the anniversary, the members of the Synod presented His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir with the Order No. 001, “St. Hierarch Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni” of the First Degree, emphasizing that the example of His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir is and will be followed with love and trust by the entire Orthodox Church of Moldova, to the praise of Christ the Lord and the salvation of the faithful people.
In their turn, His Eminence Archbishop Petru together with the abbots and abbesses of the diocese congratulated the Primate by giving him a high token of appreciation an archpriest’s crosier, and protopriest Vadim Cheibais congratulated His Eminence on behalf of the clergy and faithful of the Metropolitan Cathedral, mentioning the paternal care he has for the Orthodox Church and its Christians.
Metropolitan Vladimir thanked everyone for their kind greetings, declaring that, God willing, he will fulfill his calling as Metropolitan for the flock entrusted to him. The Primate had words of gratitude for all the people who have contributed to the flourishing of the Orthodox Church of Moldova and to its revival and prosperity over the years.
The liturgical responses were provided by the archiepiscopal choir of the Curchi Monastery, conducted by Mr. Dumitru Buga.
Source: Synodal Sector for Communication and Media Relations