1st October 2023, on the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, the First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Annunciation church in Chisinau sector I Deanery. The service also marked the 60th anniversary and 35 years of service at the Holy Altar of the parish rector, Protopriest Victor Mihalaș.
The liturgical congregation included Protopriest Vadim Cheibaș, secretary of the Metropolis of Moldova and dean of the churches of sector I, Chisinau, Protopriest Victor Mihalaș, parish rector, and other priests and deacons.
In an atmosphere of distinguished spirituality, the First Hierarch decorated the parish rector, Fr. Victor Mihalaș with the Order of “St. Hierarch Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni” II degree, in appreciation of the work done for the good and glory of the Orthodox Church in Moldova.
The Divine Service was embellished by the ordination of two ministers: deacon Anatolie Juraveli, 2022 graduate of the Academy of Orthodox Theology, was ordained priest, and monk Arsenie (Paicu) was ordained hierodeacon.
The liturgical responses were offered by the parish choir led by Tatiana Mihalaș.
At the end of the service, the Metropolitan congratulated Father Victor on the occasion of the recent events in the life of His Reverence, and thanked him for the work he is doing in this parish for the benefit of the faithful and the Church, wishing him many years of deeds towards salvation.
For memory of today’s common prayer, the faithful received prayer booklets and icons as a gift from the Arch-pastor.
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The Church of the Annunciation was built in 1810 on the site of an older church, burnt down and demolished by the Turks.
It possesses the characteristics of the architecture of 18th century churches in Iasi, with classicist influences in the fine arts. These elements can be seen in the architecture of the bell tower above the pronaos and the bulbous tower on the nave. The side walls are reinforced with buttresses.
The Annunciation Church is an architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the Municipality of Chisinau at the initiative of the Academy of Sciences.
Synodal Sector for Institutional Communication and Media Relations