On the evening of the Sunday of the Expulsion of Adam from Paradise (Cheese-fare Sunday), 2 March, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, officiated the Vespers Service and the Rite of Forgiveness at the Nativity of the Lord Metropolitan Cathedral in Chișinău.
Praying together with His Eminence were the Vicar Bishop, His Grace Siluan of Orhei, Protopriest Vadim Cheibaș, Metropolitan Secretary, Protopriest Anatolie Stefanov, Dean of Ialoveni, and numerous clergy.
Clergy and faithful from across the Metropolis of Moldova came today to ask for the rightful forgiveness before entering the Great Lent.
At the conclusion of the service, the Hierarch delivered a sermon, speaking about the significance, atmosphere, and spiritual fruits of the Great Lent, into which we now step once again with God’s help.
“My dear ones, fasting is a good opportunity for zealous prayer and good deeds. Spiritual fasting means restraining the senses – the mouth should not speak falsehoods and injustices, the eyes should not look upon things that are destructive and tempting, and the ears should not listen to idle talk. Blessed is the one who combines spiritual fasting with physical fasting, for through self-restraint, he becomes a radiant image of Christian humility.”
Vladyka Vladimir asked for forgiveness from those present and encouraged them to observe the Great Lent in full reconciliation with one another, so as to reach the glorious feast of the Resurrection of Christ in peace.
The faithful received from His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir booklets on religious themes for the Holy and Great Lent.
Metropolitan Communication and Institutional Relations Department