Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and all Moldova celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau on the 5th July, the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost.
The arch-pastor was assisted at the service by the Metropolitan Secretary and Cathedral Dean, archpriest Vadim Cheibas, and numerous priests and deacons of the holy shrine.
The Sunday Gospel Reading relates about the healing by Jesus Christ of the servant of a centurion. This biblical event is remarkable through the firm faith of a person who was not descendent of the Israeli people, and had not had previously knowledge about the true God, but believed in Him, seeing the actions of our Lord Jesus Christ, God who became one of the men, in order to restore the corrupt nature of the human being. The centurion asked the Lord to heal his servant, and when Jesus answered that he would come soon, the officer of the Roman army humbly said that he was not worth of being visited by the King of Kings, and that only His word was enough to make the sick servant healthy. Seeing such faith, Lord Jesus appreciated his humbleness and belief, telling the Israelites present that the pagans would convert into the true faith and become sons of Abraham, while the non-believing Israelites would be cast away for their petrified hearts.
Following the example of this converted centurion, we are also called to witness our Lord Jesus Christ as true and Almighty God, and to thank Him for all good that is granted to us in every moment of our life.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations