On the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, coinciding with the first day of the new calendar year, His Eminence Vladimir, Metropolitan of Chisinau and all Moldova celebrated the divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau.
Praying together with the arch-pastor were archpriest Vadim Cheibas, Cathedral Dean and Metropolitan Secretary, and the priests and deacons of the holy place. Multitudes of church-goers came to thank the heavenly Father and pray for the new year of His goodness.
With the blessing of the hierarch, Archpriest Vadim greeted the liturgical community and addressed a message of pastoral guidance to the church-goers, speaking about the significance of the remaining few days of Advent, and advising the Christians to spend this time in sobriety, prayer, and acts of charity.
This Sunday, the last before the Feast of the Theophany, is called the Sunday of the Fore-fathers of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Sunday Gospel presents the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1: 1-25) ascending to David and further to Abraham.
Thanks-giving prayers were uttered after the Divine Service, and the liturgical community participated in the prayers for the blessing of the new year.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations