The 23rd Sunday after the Pentecost, on the Feast of Kazani Icon of the Mother of God, the first hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, Metropolitan Vladimir, was welcomed to preside the Divine Liturgy at the Patron Feast in one of the four churches in the town of Ceadâr-Lunga, Diocese of Cahul and Comrat.
Concelebrating to Metropolitan Vladimir was His Grace Anatolie, Bishop of Cahul and Comrat. The arch-pastors were assisted at the Divine Service by a synaxis of priests and deacons from the southern diocese and clerics arrived from other ecclesiastic jurisdictions.
During the Small Entrance, the parish rector archpriest Serghei Lazarev was awarded high church distinction – the Order of Church Merit, in appreciation of pastoral efforts and good administration of the entrusted parish. The arch-pastor also wished long live to father Serghei and his wife Ludmila’s numerous family raising fourteen children. Thus, Metropolitan Vladimir also awarded to Ludmila Lazarev the 2nd category Order of Venerable Paraskeva. Numerous donors and sponsors of the parish also received church distinctions and awards.
After the Service, the liturgical community followed Metropolitan Vladimir and Bishop Anatolie in a Gospel-reading and hymn-singing procession around the church.
In the end, the arch-pastor addressed a message of congratulation to the praying community, thanking the father Serghei for devoted ministry in the parish’s missionary and pastoral activity.
Father rector thanked Metropolitan Vladimir for the arch-pastoral encouragement and prayers during the Liturgy and expressed hope for wisdom and strength in further pastoring of the parish, in the struggle towards the Heavenly Kingdom.
Leaving the holy church after the service, the parishioners received arch-pastoral blessing, and numerous children were offered prayer books.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations