On Friday, 26 May, 2023, on the feast the Venerable Macarius of Saharna, the Holy Trinity Monastery hosted a divine service officiated by the First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, and a group of priests and deacons.
In the morning, with great filial love, Archimandrite Adrian (Baciu), superior monk of Saharna Monastery, together with the monastic community, welcomed the Hierarch and then the assembly of the faithful went to the cathedral “Resurrection of the Lord”, where the Holy and Divine Liturgy took place.
Among the priests concelebrating to the Arch-pastor were archpriest Vadim Cheibaș, Metropolitan Secretary, archimandrite Adrian (Baciu), superior monk of Saharna Monastery, archimandrite Nectarie (Gherman), superior monk of of Horești Monastery, and numerous other priests and deacons. Among the praying community were mother Vera (Spinei), monastic superior of Cuselauca Monastery, and a big number of monastics and lay Christians.
On the eve of the feast, the shrine containing the relics of the Venerable Macarius of Saharna was placed in the middle of the church.
In 1991, with the reopening of the monastery, the tomb of Father Macarius was opened and his body was found incorrupt. The local canonization of Saint Macarius of Saharna took place on December 21, 1995, with the feast day being May 13/26. Venerable Macarius is the first locally canonised saint in the Orthodox Church of post-Soviet Moldova.
At the Small Entrance, His Eminence awarded Father Adrian, the abbot of the monastery, with the metropolitan diploma as a sign of gratitude for his work for the good of the monastery, the Christians and the Orthodox Church of Moldova, and several priests from the Rezina diocese were decorated with ecclesiastical distinctions.
Today’s Divine Liturgy was embellished by two ordinations: deacon Constantin Gherman, year 2022 graduate of Chisinau Theological Academy, was ordained priest and subdeacon Roman Rarancean, student of the Moscow Academy of Orthodox Theology, was ordained a deacon.
After the Liturgy, a cross procession around the church followed, with the reading of the four Holy Gospels. Then a litany of commemoration of the monastery’s settlers resting in the monastery cemetery and a te-deum litany with prayers for health and mercy of the Lord were officiated.
Later on, Metropolitan Vladimir addressed those present with a word of congratulation, speaking about the importance and spiritual value of Saharna Monastery for the history and spirituality of our people, mentioning in this regard the hard work and dedication of the monastic community led by Father Adrian (Baciu), who contributes to this special monastery to be an oasis of spiritual reunion, as it was at the beginning of its existence.
In his turn, Fr. Adrian (Baciu), the monastic superior, thanked His Eminence for the arch-pastoral visit, mentioning that everything that is done within the walls of Saharna Monastery is done with love, humility and fear of God to the glory of the Holy Trinity and the salvation of the Christian faithful. Father Archimandrite did not forget to mention the contribution made by Metropolitan Vladimir over the years for the good of the monastery, the community and all those who pass the threshold of this monastery.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations