His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, the first hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, officiated the Divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau on 14th August 2022.
Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, Cathedral Dean and Metropolitan Secretary, and a group of priests and deacons of the holy place, concelebrated to the hierarch.
The Sunday Gospel Reading (Matthew 14: 22-34) referred to the Lord’s walking on the sea and calming the tempest.
During the service, Metropolitan Vladimir ordained deacon Vitalie Sterpu into priesthood, appointing the cleric to the central deanery of Chisinau.
With the blessing of the arch-pastor, archpriest Vadim Cheibas delivered a message of pastoral guidance, speaking about the multitude and significance of the miracles accompanying the Lord’s walking on the sea. As the Lord of the universe, Jesus Christ overcomes the natural law and bestows such power to the Holy Apostles, conditioning it with strong faith.
Taking care of His disciples, the Lord sees their fear and plight in the darkness, and calms the tempest on the sea, simply by entering into their boat. This boat symbolizes the saving power of the Holy Church that shelters all those baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and calls us all to remain within it, under the care of the Head of the Church – our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
In this sense, today’s Gospel reading is encouraging, offering hope, providing strength, and securing victory in the spiritual fight. All trials and hardship we encounter in life can be overcame with spiritual usefulness, if we rely not only on our own forces, but call for the Lord’s help.
Today’s service marks the beginning of the Dormition Fast. May the Lord help all His faithful flock in the spiritual ascension and effort before the Feast of the Dormition (Assumption) of our Lady Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations