All those who want to step on the road of fast and prayer, all those who want to gather abundant harvest of your own repentance, hear the word of God, listen to the command of God – and leave, forgive all your neighbour’s mistakes against you! (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov).
Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and all Moldova celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the Cheesefare Sunday (the pre-Lent Sunday that commemorates the casting out of Adam from Heaven).
The arch-pastor was assisted at the service by archpriest Vadim Cheibas, the Cathedral Dean and Metropolitan Secretary, and numerous clergy of the Nativity of the Lord Cathedral.
Tomorrow all Orthodox Christians enter into the period of Great Lent. The Sunday Gospel Reading speaks about forgiveness, fast, and mercy, as three virtues that help a Christian to refresh the grace of the Holy Baptismal and strengthen the effort of moral conscience and spiritual revival.
While sin creates a gap between man and God, making a human being fall out from communion with the Creator, fasting helps to grow spiritually and reunite with God. The 40-days Lent is a period of spiritual ascension, in resemblance of Jesus Christ’s fasting in the desert before entering into the salvation mission. While the first Adam showed disobedience and broke God’s word in the heaven, which lead to his expulsion into a world of suffering and plight, the Second Adam – Lord Jesus Christ showed the humanity a way to restore communion with God through fast, prayer, and spiritual growth.
During the service, Valentin Smoleac, graduate of the Academy of Theology (1995), was ordained deacon.
After the Liturgy, the Great Vespers with the Order of Forgiveness was officiated, with the participation of the Cathedral clergy and parishioners.
The arch-pastor asked forgiveness of those present, and advised the participants to spend the Great Lent in peace with everybody, in order to achieve the bright Feast of the Resurrection of Christ.
Metropolitan Vladimir also mentioned that true fast can only be achieved in fervent prayer and sobriety.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations