Friday, 19 August 2022, on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the first hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, Metropolitan Vladimir, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Chisinau Metropolitan Cathedral
Bishop Ioan of Soroca and Bishop Siluan of Orhei, metropolitan Vicars, archpriest Vadim Cheibas, metropolitan secretary and rector of the Cathedral, archimandrite Filaret (Cuzmin), superior monk of Capriana Monastery, archpriest Nicolae Cravet, dean and secretary of Soroca Vicariate, archpriest Grigorie Dodon, dean of Calarasi church district, and other clergy, concelebrated to Metropolitan Vladimir.
The Transfiguration of the Lord celebrates the altering of Jesus’ countenance on the Mount Tabor, in the presence of His disciples Peter, John, and James, as mentioned by Apostles Matthew and Luke (Mt. 16: 27-28 and Luke 9: 28-29).
This Feastday reveals three truths. First of all, the Transfiguration of the Lord shows the relation between Lord Jesus’ suffering on the Cross and the Glory of His Resurrection. Then, the transfiguration of the Lord shows a relation between the Glory of Christ’s Resurrection and the Glory of His second coming in the end of times, when He will judge the living and the dead, and Whose kingdom will not end. And, finally, the Transfiguration of the Lord shows that the ultimate destination of a human being is not the tomb, but the life eternal in the Glory of the Heavenly Kingdom.
The Transfiguration of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ calls us to change, to alter, to renew ourselves, to enlighten our mind by good thoughts, to enlighten our hearts by pure feelings, to enlighten our life by good acts of reciprocal help and consolation of those in suffering. Thus, the Lord’s Transfiguration calls us to a spiritual transformation of our own lives.
During the Small Entrance, Metropolitan Vladimir conferred to priest Serghei Barbu, cleric of the Metropolitan Cathedral, the right of wearing cross embellished with jewels.
His Eminence Vladimir officiated diaconal ordination of subdeacon Grigore Dodon, graduate of St. Basil the Great Seminary in Iasi.
Numerous church-goers communed with the Body and Blood of the Lord after the Lord’s prayer.
Traditionally, the new crop of grapes was blessed after this Feast’s Liturgy.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations.