The Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord on February 2 (15 in the civil calendar). It is one of the 12 Great Feasts celebrated by the Orthodox Church worldwide. Documentary accounts of wide celebration of this holiday in the early Christian Church go back to as early as the 4th century AD. The events that constitute the subject of the Feast are described in today’s Gospel Reading (Luke 2: 22-40).
Thus, on February 15, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Nativity of the Lord Metropolitan Cathedral, assisted by His Grace Ioan, Bishop of Soroca and Metropolitan Vicar, Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, Metropolitan Secretary and Dean of the Cathedral, and a sinaxis of the Cathedral’s priests and deacons.
During the Divine Liturgy, H.E. Metropolitan Vladimir ordained deacon Serghei Graduneac into priesthood, appointed the young cleric to the parish of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Dumitreni village, Floresti region.
This Feast was also special for Petru Slobozianu, 3rd year student at Chisinau Academy of Theology, who was ordained deacon.
The Metropolitan congratulated the young clergymen on this blessed occasion, wishing them worthy service to the glory of the Orthodox Church and salvation of the Christians entrusted to their pasturing.
The Meeting of the Lord is also celebrated as the Day of Orthodox Youth in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Relations with the Mass-Media