PRESENTATION OF THE LORD LXXIV, IN THE TEMPLE › files › Solia---The-Herald ›...

THEHERALD

JACKSON, MI

JAN/FEB2009VOL.LXXIV,Nos.1-2

PRESENTATION OF THE LORDIN THE TEMPLE

February 2

2 SOLIA JAN/FEB 2009PRAY AND WORK FOR ORTHODOX UNITY IN NORTH AMERICA

SOLIA — THE HERALD (ISSN 0038-1039)is published bi-monthly for $15.00 per year:United States, $20.00 per year: Canada, and$25.00 per year in other countries by The Ro-manian Orthodox Episcopate of America, 2535Grey Tower Road, Jackson, MI 49201-9120.Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, Michigan,and additional offices. Phone: (517) 522-3656,Fax: (517) 522-5907. E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.roea.org.

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Articles and news published in SOLIAdo not necessarily reflect the views orthe endorsement of the Romanian Or-thodox Episcopate of America.

CHAIRMAN:Most Rev. Archbishop

Nathaniel Popp

VICE-CHAIRMAN:Right Rev. Bishop Irineu Duvlea

ENGLISH EDITOR / SECRETARY:Archdeacon David Oancea

ROMANIAN EDITOR:Rev. Fr. Anton Frunza ¨

STAFF:Hieromonk Calinic Berger Ph.D.

V. Rev. Dr. Remus GramaHdcn. Sebastian Dumitrascu

Mr. Mark ChestnutMr. Richard C. Grabowski

CONTENTSEnglish Section

Why was Jesus Christ Baptized?,Rev. Hieromonk Calinic (Berger) .................................3

Exarchate of Mexico Elevated to FullDiocesan Status ........................................................ 4, 12

When Confession Becomes Idolatry,Archbishop Dmitri ................................................... 5, 11

Canon 28 of the 4th Ecumenical Counci,Metropolitan Philip .............................................. 6-8, 13

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty,Preoteasa Lillian Lupu ....................................................9

Lost Souls, Very Rev. Fr. John Breck ...................... 10, 16Parish Bulletin Notes ........................................................ 11A Memorable Christmas Concert in Cleveland,

Fr. Remus Grama ......................................................... 122009 AROY Debutante Cotillion Ball ............................. 13Financial Report ............................................................... 14Hierarchal Schedule ......................................................... 14In Memory – Preoteasa Tatiana Prisacarou ................. 14Cleveland Inter-Orthodox Nativity Concert ................... 15Solia Financial Report ..................................................... 15Scholarships Through the ROEA..................................... 16Archimandrite Felix Dubneac Fallen Asleep

in the Lord .................................................................... 17

RomanianCuva[nt de Suflet, Februarie, Duminica La¨satului

Sec de Carne, (A önfricosça¨toarei Judeca¨òl),Mt. 25, 31-46, + IRINEU, Episcop Vicar ........... 18, 21

In Memoriam> Iosif Ba¨dila¨, 26 aprilie 1921 –13 ianuarie 2008, Justina Badila, soòia ..................... 19

Balada Copilului Nena¨scut, Florica Baòu Ichim............ 19In Memoriam> Pa¨rintele Arhimandrit Felix

Dubneac, Pr. Anton Frunza¨ .................................. 20, 24Exarhatul de Mexico öna¨ltçat la Rangul de Episcopie ... 21Educarea Cresçtina¨ a Familiei, Ianuarie,

Cuviosul Serafim de la Sarov, 2 Ianuarie,Maica Preoteasa¨ ...................................................... 22, 24

Educarea Cresçtina¨ a Familiei, Februarie,Sfa[ntul mucenic Vlasie, Episcopul Sevastiei,11 Februarie, Maica Preoteasa¨ .............................. 23-24

CLERGY CHANGES(RODILA), Reverend Hieromonk Dionisie, was

appointed Egumen of the Holy Ascension Monastery,Detroit, Michigan, effective December 25, 2008.

UPDATES TO SOLIACALENDAR 2009

DATES TO REMEMBER – 2009 (page 67): La-bor Day – Monday, September 7.

CHURCH EVENTS – 2009 (page 68): AmericanRomanian Orthodox Youth Conference – Friday, Sep-tember 4 – Sunday, September 6.

THE CLERGY (page 85): Anton, Virgil, Rev.Fr., 6643 FOOTHILL BLVD APT 209, TUJUNGACA 91042-2733 - (626) 823-3255.

(pages 85, 116 [SPIRITUAL ADVISOR] & 139[YOUNGSTOWN]): Antonescu, Cosmin George,Rev. Fr. – delete email: [email protected].

(pages 86 & 140): Barsan, Vasile, Very Rev. Fr.– [email protected].

(page 86): Blaga, Octavian, Rev. Fr., 1681 DUVERGER, LAVAL QC H7M 2J7 CA.

(page 87): (Dubneac), Felix, Very Rev.Archimandrite (DECEASED).

(pages 88 & 141): Gradinaru, Ciprian, Rev. Fr.,760 SPENCE ENCLAVE LN, NASHVILLE TN 37210-3239.

(page 93): Revencu, Eduard E, Rev. Fr., 500SCARLETT RD APT 606.

PARISHES (page 140): MCKEES ROCKS –Delete (412) 400-0808.

COVER: An icon of the Presentation of Christin the Temple painted by Theophanes the Cretan(1546) and located at Stavronikita Monastery, HolyMount Athos, Greece.

SOLIA JAN/FEB 2009 3PRAY AND WORK FOR ORTHODOX UNITY IN NORTH AMERICA

God said, Let there be light" (Gen 1:2-3). At thebeginning of the world, at its genesis, the voice of theFather and resting or hovering of the Spirit of Godover the waters give the occasion for the advent ofLight. The Father and the Spirit are the preconditionsfor Light. Similarly, at the beginning of the Lord'sministry: the voice of the Father and the Spirit de-scending as a dove over the waters of the Jordan andresting on Christ give the occasion for the advent ofLight – the revelation of the Son of God – who is seenby a people sitting in darkness (Mt 4:16).

In other words, the beginning of our Lord's minis-try is the beginning of a new creation, a new genesis,another chance for mankind. St Cyril of Jerusalemexpressed this in a succinct manner: "The beginningof the world – water; the beginning of the Gospel – theJordan." The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the New Gen-esis.

As a mysterious, primordial element, water is in-volved in other "beginnings" recorded in the Bible.The second occurs when God saw that "wickedness ofman was great in the earth, and that every imaginationof the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"and that "the earth was filled with violence" (Gen 6:5,11). Seeing how men lived, the Scripture says that"God was grieved in His heart" (Gen 6:6). After giv-ing men 100 years to repent at the preaching of Noah(according to rabbinical tradition), the judgment ofmankind came in the form of the flood. In the watersof the flood, all the wickedness of man was removed.

After this great judgment, a dove was sent by Noahover the waters, which when it returned with an olive

WHY WAS JESUS CHRIST BAPTIZED?

Why was Jesus baptized? John was baptizing inJordan "for the remission of sins" (Mk 1:4). The Evan-gelists are very clear that Jesus came up "immedi-ately" from the waters (Mt 3:16, Mk 1:10), meaningthat Jesus did not confess any sins, because He aloneis sinless. When asked by John, Jesus Himself onlysays "to fulfill all righteousness." Why then was thisnecessary? What is the righteousness being fulfilled?

The spiritual meanings of the waters were not loston the Jews of Jesus' day. Water implied somethingprimordial, pure, life-giving, cleansing – but simulta-

byRev. Hieromonk Calinic (Berger)

neously it implied power, judgmentand death.

The very existence of water andits fundamental role in the world isa mystery. In a sense, water "pre-dates" the world. In creating theworld, God did not say, "Let therebe water." The waters were alreadythere when the account of creationbegins: "and the Spirit of God movedupon the face of the waters. And

ing the sign of the Cross over the waters with Hisstaff, the vertical bar to part the seas, and the horizon-tal bar to reunite them. In these waters, wickedness(the Egyptian army in pursuit) is again washed away.The result was a new beginning for those people whosepurpose was true worship. So again in the Jordan: thebaptism of Christ is the beginning of a new people,the "Christian race" and their true worship.

In all these cases, water is the means of both lifeand judgment, renewal and deliverance. The Spiriteffects a new creation, a new beginning, a new world,which is simultaneous with the revelation of God. Canit be any wonder then, that the Son of God began Hisministry of the redemption and recreation of the worldin water, with the Spirit resting upon Him? Christ istherefore baptized to "fulfill all righteousness," all thegreat creative and salvific acts of God.

Yet Christ is not baptized simply to fulfill the pastbut to forge a path to the future, for us, such that wetoo might be baptized, renewed, recreated, and havethe Spirit of God rest on us as adopted sons (cf. Rom8:15, Gal 4:5). This is the challenge of Theophany: itis the challenge to be renewed, to take our baptismseriously, to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit,thereby doing the works of Christ and even "greaterthings" (Jn 14:12). It is an opportunity to take thewaters blessed on the Feast as a means of sanctifica-tion, blessing, health of soul and body, and the de-struction of passions, bad habits, worldly attachments,anxieties and any animosity – for such does it mean tobe "renewed." And this renewal is granted to each usby the Baptism of Jesus Christ.

branch became the harbinger of the new world. Sub-sequently the dove became a universal symbol of theSpirit and peace, as always the source of any newbeginning. This was precisely John the Baptist's min-istry: the preaching of repentance, the confession ofsins, through which the waters of the Jordan washedaway all unrighteousness. The result was that the Spiritcame, as a dove, with the appearance of Jesus Christ,as the inaugurator of a new beginning, a new world,the Kingdom of God.

The third foundational beginning in the Scripturesis recorded in the book of Exoduswhere the account of Moses leadingthe children of Israel out of the dark-ness of pagan Egypt to worship Godat Sinai is recorded. Here, Mosesparts the waters of the Red Sea withthe help of "the rod of God" and a"strong East wind" over the waters(Ex 14:16, 21). As we sing in can-ons of feasts of the Cross, Mosesparted and reunited the sea by mak-


of Mexico City, as ruling bishop of the Exarchate ofMexico.

With its own ruling hierarch, the Exarchate of Mexiconow has full diocesan status in the Orthodox Churchin America.

Among those present for the historic occasion wereHis Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and theSouth, who for many years served as exarch of Mexico,and several founding clergy of the Mexican Church,including Priest Ramon Merlos and Priest José RaulValencia.

Speaking in Spanish, Metropolitan Jonah sharedhis joy in announcing that the exarchate was beingelevated to the status of a diocese, thereby fully equip-ping the Church in Mexico to accomplish the taskChrist has set before it. At the end of the Rite ofInstallation, each bishop congratulated Bishop Alejo.

At present, the Exarchate of Mexico is made up ofnine churches and missions, including Mexico City’scathedral, which minister to several thousand faithful.

“It is good to experience, participate in, and helpbuild the Orthodox Church in Mexico as it now entersinto this new chapter of its story,” said SubdeaconAbraham Labrada, a Mexican seminarian studying atSt. Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA. Theseminary’s mission choir sang the responses at Satur-day evening Vespers and joined the cathedral choir insinging the Sunday Divine Liturgy.

“It was a wonderful and awe-inspiring weekend,and we were very blessed to be here,” said guest choir

His Grace, Bishop Alejo

(L-R): His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN; His Eminence, Archbishop SERAPHIM; His Beatitude, Metropoli-tan JONAH; His Grace, Bishop ALEJO; His Eminence, Archbishop DMITRI; His Eminence, ArchbishopNATHANIEL at Great Vespers on January 17, 2009.

EXARCHATE OF MEXICO ELEVATED TOFULL DIOCESAN STATUS

MEXICO CITY,MEXICO [OCA Com-munications] — OnSunday, January 18,2009, His Beatitude,Metropolitan Jonah, to-gether with hierarchsfrom the Holy Synod ofBishops of the Ortho-dox Church in America,clergy, monastics, anda multitude of faithfulfrom throughoutMexico, the US, andCanada gathered at LaCatedral de la Asenciónde Nuestro Señor inMexico City to celebratethe enthronement ofHis Grace, BishopAlejo [Pacheco-Vera]

Cont. on page 12


Confession, one of the seven mysteries of the Or-thodox Church, is referred to more traditionally as thesacrament, or mystery, of repentance. In this rite, thepenitent confesses his sins in the presence of a priest,is prayed for by the priest who beseeches God toreconcile the individual to the communion of the faith-ful, is exhorted to make changes in his life that morefully reflect one’s faith in Christ, and is given wordsof counsel or advice by the priest who is also presentto bear witness to the contrition of the penitent.

Confession is perhaps one of the more difficultsacraments to acknowledge and accept by those com-ing to the Orthodox Church. The reasons for this arevaried as are the responses that can be given to anyobjections. Many of our readers are undoubtedly fa-miliar with both; numerous articles and recorded lec-tures address this topic. At this time we will onlyemphasize that people entering Orthodoxy eventuallyfind great comfort in the mystery of repentance. Ironi-cally, one of the initial sources of hesitancy – the openconfession of sins in front of another person, i.e. thepriest – becomes a liberating factor in the sacramentitself. It is experienced as a relief, a lifting of a burdento verbalize one’s sins to another human being. Again,there are reasons for this that will not be describedhere. Suffice it to say that the human dynamic inconfession, the communication and relationship be-tween the penitent and the father confessor, is signifi-cant.

As important as it may be, however, abuses can anddo occur which may lead to a misunderstanding ofconfession itself, as well as of the role of the priest inthe sacrament and the life of the parish.

Practically speaking, an abuse often committed bythe clergy is lengthy counseling during confession.There is advice fitting in the context of confession,and then another that is more appropriate when givenduring a meeting in the priest’s office. A distinctionshould be made for at least two reasons. First, exten-sive counseling during the sacrament easily leads to ashift in emphasis from the contrition of the penitentand his actual confession, to the guidance given by thepriest: the most important words uttered are thosemade by the one confessing his sins. It is not neces-sary in the sacrament for a clergyman to be overlyscrupulous in his examination of an individual’s deedsand thoughts. Second, lengthy confessions place anundue hardship on others waiting in line to make theirconfession, especially parents with small children andthe elderly. Except in rare circumstances, people shouldnot have to remain in Church for hours before speak-

ing with the priest. Discernment and discretion shouldbe used; sensitivity to those waiting in line is in order.

More serious, however, is the tendency for some tobe overly dependent upon the need for frequent con-fession. Extraordinary cases may exist where a personmust come to confession every week, or every otherweek when receiving communion regularly. Gener-ally speaking, however, such cases are exceptions andlikely indicators that other remedies are required, inaddition, to treat the penitent. The description of onebeing dependent on frequent confession is used inten-tionally. Confession can become as a narcotic, an idolto the penitent, the reason for coming to Church aboveall other reasons, an end in itself. This descriptionmay seem exaggerated, but such cases assuredly existin our parishes. It is possible, for instance, to visitcertain communities belonging to the OCA and theDiocese of the South, having more than one priest,and observe people attending festal celebrations pri-marily to confess their sins to one of the priests duringthe service. Such a practice and similar ones reflect amisunderstanding not only of confession but of thesignificance of feasts in the Orthodox Church.

The above approach to confession can be associ-ated with the dangerous tendency to exaggerate thedynamic, the relationship between the father confes-sor and the penitent. As specified above, the mainresponsibilities of the parish priest in the sacramentare to hear the actual confession, bear witness to thecontrition of the individual, and to give appropriateand concise advice related to one or more sins con-fessed, if necessary. Anything more should be accom-plished outside of the sacrament proper, and fall in therealm of the priest’s competency and counseling abili-ties. The penitent should be learning as well to takeresponsibility for his own life and not to look to thepriest for answers to every one of life’s questions. TheChurch has the task to educate and empower the faith-ful to discern on their own as Christians what is properto say, do and think on a daily basis through theoperation of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Where suchan approach is not being taken by both clergy andlaity, a type of quasi-Orthodox cult can develop.

In this context, we should stress that in the OCAone’s father confessor is typically the local priest. Hehas the task imparted unto him by his bishop to over-see and administer the entire life of the parish. Thisincludes being responsible for the lives, the spiritualhealth, of his parishioners, and dispensing the sacra-ments, insuring that those who approach the chalice

WHEN CONFESSION BECOMES IDOLATRY —FATHER CONFESSOR AND PENITENT

By His Eminence DMITRIArchbishop of Dallas and the South

Cont. on page 11


Talk given by Metropolitan Philip, Primate of theSelf-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdio-cese of North America at the Conference of the Fel-lowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius held at St.Vladimir’s Seminary, June 4-8, 2008, and publishedin The Word, January 2009.

Of all the canons dealing with Church authority andjurisdiction, there is probably none more controver-sial and debated in inter-Orthodox circles today thanCanon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, held inthe city of Chalcedon in the year 451. Those of usfamiliar with Church history know that the Ecumeni-cal Council was called to put an end to the ongoingChristological debates of the time. While this was themain focus of the Council, like other councils beforeand after, it dealt with other pressing issues of the day.Canon 28 was no exception. It reads as follows:

Following in every detail all the decrees of theholy Fathers and knowing about the canon, justread, of the one hundred and fifty bishops dearlybeloved of God, gathered together underTheodosius the Great, emperor of pious memoryin the imperial city of Constantinople, New Rome,we ourselves have also decreed and voted thesame things about the prerogatives of the veryholy Church of this same Constantinople, NewRome. The Fathers in fact have correctly attrib-uted the prerogatives (which belong) to the see

of the most ancient Rome because it was theimperial city. And thus moved by the same rea-soning, the one hundred and fifty bishops be-loved of God have accorded equal prerogativesto the very holy see of New Rome, justly consid-ering that the city that is honored by the imperialpower and the senate and enjoying (within thecivil order) the prerogatives equal to those ofRome, the most ancient imperial city, ought tobe as elevated as Old Rome in the affairs of theChurch, being in the second place after it. Con-sequently, the metropolitans and they alone ofthe dioceses of Pontus, Asia and Thrace, as wellas the bishops among the barbarians of the afore-mentioned dioceses, are to be ordained by thepreviously mentioned very holy see of the veryholy Church of Constantinople; that is, eachmetropolitan of the above-mentioned dioceses isto ordain the bishops of the province along withthe fellow bishops of that province as has beenprovided for in the divine canons. As for themetropolitans of the previously mentioned dio-ceses, they are to be ordained, as has alreadybeen said, by the archbishop of Constantinople,after harmonious elections have taken place ac-cording to custom and after the archbishop hasbeen notified.The issue of the proper interpretation of Canon 28

and its relationship to the so-called “diaspora” is cru-cial, not only to the Church in North America, but tothe relationship of all Orthodox churches worldwideto each other, and to their witness to the world. AsPatriarch ALEKSY of Russia has said: “The questionof the Orthodox diaspora is one of the most importantproblems in inter-Orthodox relations. Given its com-plexity and the fact that it has not been sufficientlyregularized, it has introduced serious complicationsin[to] the relations between Churches and, without adoubt, has diminished the strength of Orthodox wit-ness throughout the contemporary world.” (For moreinformation on the historical background of Canon28, I recommend the book The Church of the AncientCouncils: The Disciplinary Work of the First FourEcumenical Councils, by the late Archbishop PETERL’Huillier, published in 1996 by St. Vladimir’s Semi-nary Press.)

The issue of the proper interpretation of Canon 28and its relationship to the so-called “diaspora” is cru-cial, not only to the Church in North America, but tothe relationship of all Orthodox churches worldwideto each other, and to their witness to the world.

It is my opinion that there are three types of canons:1) Dogmatic; 2) Contextual; and 3) “Dead” canons.Canon 28 is by no means a “dead” canon, since there

CANON 28 OF THE 4TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL— RELEVANT OR IRRELEVANT TODAY?


is still great controversy over it today, and so manycommentaries, both past and present, show how con-troversial it has been, to say the least. I believe thatCanon 28, historically, is a contextual canon and nota dogmatic one; it gave the city of Constantinoplecertain rights as the New Rome for secular, politicalreasons because it was the seat of the emperor. At thesame time, the Fourth Ecumenical Council considered(Old) Rome to be the first among equals. What doesthis say to us today? Let us begin by stating that thewhole idea today of “Rome,” “New Rome,” and “ThirdRome” would be absurd. If we want to give promi-nence to any city in Christendom, we should give it toJerusalem, where the history of salvation was accom-plished.

The second part of the Canon dealt with the Dio-ceses of Pontus, Asia and Thrace. Canon 28 gaveConstantinople jurisdiction over the metropolitans ofthe barbarians and those three provinces or dioceses,which today are only Bulgaria, Northeastern Greeceand European Turkey.

We can also ask, “Is this Canon dealing with adogmatic issue or a pastoral administrative one?” Inmy opinion, it clearly deals with an administrativequestion. If Antioch or Alexandria had become theseat of imperial power, likely this Canon would havemade either of them New Rome. If we were to followthe reasoning of Canon 28, in fact, then Russia couldrightfully claim, as it did historically, to be the ThirdRome, and the Church of Greece could have made theclaim to be the Fourth Rome during the captivity ofthe Russian Church under Communism.

Given the lack of a new Great Council, commonsense would dictate that, with the current captivity ofthe church in Constantinople (whose indigenous flocktotals just a few thousand), there is no reason forCanon 28 and it is no longer relevant today. We dohave a problem, however: we have a responsibility tothe past and the councils of the past, but there is noGreat Council to address this issue. We must thereforeexplore other solutions.

While the Canon is not relevant to the question ofdifferent “Romes,” it is profitable for us to look at itsrelevance today, especially to the subject of adminis-trative organization in North America. We are wellaware of the complex issues regarding the so-called“diaspora” and the desire of our Orthodox people,especially in North America, to have an administra-tively united church. As you must know, there arebasically two interpretations of this Canon that extendback into history. Some claim that this Canon impliesthat Constantinople has authority over all territoriesoutside the geographical limits of autocephalouschurches.

Those on the other side of the argument say thatthis interpretation is, in fact, misinterpretation. Arch-bishop PETER in his book, The Church of the AncientCouncils, states that “such interpretation is completelyfantastic.” For those holding this view, any

autocephalous church can do missionary work outsideher boundaries and can grant autocephaly to suchmissions. Archbishop PAUL of Finland, in summariz-ing the position of the Orthodox churches, has statedin the reports submitted in 1990 to the PreparatoryCommission for the Great and Holy Council that “thePatriarchates of Antioch, Moscow and Romania stronglyoppose the authority of Constantinople over the diasporaand [maintain] that the theory remains an anachro-nism as far from the modern age as the year 451 of theFourth Ecumenical Council is from the TwentiethCentury.”

Patriarch ALEKSY of Russia has stated that “...un-til the 1920’s, the Patriarch of Constantinople did notin fact exercise authority over the whole of the Ortho-dox diaspora throughout the world, and made no claimto such authority.”

Patriarch ALEKSY of Russia has stated that it wasonly in 1921 that Patriarch MELETIOS Metaxakisdeveloped a theory of universal jurisdiction forConstantinople. “Historical facts indicate that untilthe 1920’s, the Patriarch of Constantinople did not infact exercise authority over the whole of the Orthodoxdiaspora throughout the world, and made no claim tosuch authority.” The Russian Orthodox Church re-sponded in a letter to the Ecumenical Patriarchateregarding the case of Bishop BASIL (Osborne) asfollows: “With respect to Canon 28 of the Council ofChalcedon, it is vital to recall that it concerns onlycertain provinces, the boundaries of which representthe limits of the authority of the Patriarch ofConstantinople over the bishops ‘of the barbarians’.”

We see, then, that the notion that this Canon ex-tends the authority of the throne of Constantinople toall territories that are not part of one or another localchurch is a novelty, and one not recognized by theOrthodox Church as a whole. This misinterpretationof Canon 28 would extend beyond territorial issues tosuch things as the claim that a representative of thePatriarchate of Constantinople should chair any Epis-copal assembly, anywhere in the world. This claimcan extend down to local clergy groups, Pan-Ortho-dox associations and organizations, and so forth.

In 1961, we in the United States and Canada formedthe Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bish-ops in the Americas (SCOBA). I have been a memberof SCOBA since 1966. The misinterpretation of Canon28 has not been helpful to the work of SCOBA. In myopinion, SCOBA has four major defects. First, therepresentation of the Orthodox Churches in SCOBAdoes not reflect reality in North America. Neither theMoscow Patriarchate nor the Russian Orthodox ChurchOutside of Russia (ROCOR) are represented in SCOBA,while the Ecumenical Patriarchate has four of the nineseats.

Second, the insistence that the Exarch of the Patri-archate of Constantinople must be the President ofSCOBA is not what was agreed upon at the beginning.The constitution of SCOBA which has never been


amended, provides that there shall be a rotating presi-dency. Subsequently, at the insistence of the AntiochianArchdiocese, Archbishop SPYRIDON and then Arch-bishop DEMETRIOS were elected by the SCOBAmembers after the retirement of the late ArchbishopIAKOVOS of thrice-blessed memory.

The third defect of SCOBA is that its decisions arenot internally binding. In the 1990 documents beforethe Preparatory Commission for a Great and HolyCouncil, in discussing the Western European situa-tion, some autocephalous churches suggested the for-mation of Episcopal Assemblies whose decisions canbe internally binding.

I would like to quote here again from the letterfrom the Russian Orthodox Church to the PreparatoryCommission. “The relations between jurisdictions anddioceses to the Mother Churches would remain thesame, but in all purely internal matters, which wouldinclude education, teaching, the diakonia, Orthodoxwitness, ecumenical relations on the local level, pas-toral practice, the Bishops’ Assembly would serve injoint effort as one whole unit and autonomous in itsrelationship to the mother church.” This Bishops’Assembly, for example, would address non-canonicalsituations in North America such as the infringementof the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in North Americawith the blessings of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Most of the people in my Archdiocese have nointention of returning to their place of origin...Ourpeople are here to stay, and we are indeed an indig-enous church in North America.

A fourth problem with SCOBA, I believe, is theassumption that we are a “diaspora.” On the contrary:the only way to move the cause of Orthodox unityforward in North America is to insist that we are nota “diaspora.” We have been here two hundred years.The late Protopresbyter, John Meyendorff, of blessedmemory, states in an essay in his book, A Vision ofUnity, that diaspora is a biblical term and has a per-fectly adequate equivalent - “dispersion.” He sayslater in the same article: “There is no promised landany more except the heavenly Jerusalem.”

Most of the people in my Archdiocese have nointention of returning to their place of origin. This istrue even of new immigrants, let alone those of thethird or fourth generation. Our people are here to stay,and we are indeed an indigenous church in NorthAmerica. I believe that the Church in North Americais mature enough to take care of herself without anyinterference from the outside. Those who support anethnocentric reading of Canon 28 and insist that unityon a national basis cannot be discussed, then, arenaive and bury their heads in the sand. While theymay delight in holding lectures and conferences onthe environment, the witness and mission of the churchis ignored.

The Orthodox principle is not to organize the churchbased on ethnicity, but, in the modern world, upon thenation-state. Ironically enough, when ethnic

ecclesiology began to flourish and prosper in the nine-teenth century, it was the Pan-Orthodox Synod ofConstantinople itself that condemned ecclesiologicalethno-phyletism as a heresy in 1872. During our Arch-diocese Convention last July in Montreal, Canada, Ishared with my clergy and laity what I said on thesubject to my brother bishops at the ArchdiocesanSynod Meeting on May 31, 2007, and I summarize mythoughts in what follows.

Since 1966, I have lived with two obsessions: 1)The unity of our Archdiocese; and 2) Orthodox unityin North America. Where are we now in regard to thislatter unity? Unfortunately, the One Holy Catholicand Apostolic Church in North America is now di-vided into more than fifteen jurisdictions based onethnicity, contrary to the decisions of the EcumenicalCouncils. Our canons clearly state that we cannothave more than one bishop over the same territory,and one metropolitan over the same metropolis. I re-gret to tell you that we Orthodox are violating thisimportant ecclesiological principle in North America,South America, Europe and Australia. In New York,for example, we have more than ten Orthodox bishopsover the same city and the same territory. I can say thesame thing about other cities and territories in NorthAmerica.

We are not alone; the same thing has happened inParis, France. There are six co-existing OrthodoxBishops with overlapping ecclesiological jurisdictions.In my opinion and in the opinion of Orthodox canonists,this is ecclesiological ethno-phyletism. This is hereti-cal. How can we condemn ethno-phyletism as a her-esy in 1872 and still practice the same thing in thetwenty-first century here in North America? When Ilived in Damascus, Syria, and Beirut, Lebanon, in theearly 1950s, there were large Greek Orthodox andRussian Orthodox communities there, but they werenot under the Archbishop of Athens or the Patriarch-ate of Moscow, but under the omophorions of theAntiochian local bishops. Due to wars and social up-heaval, we now have a large Lebanese community inAthens, Greece, and they are under the omophorion ofthe Archbishop of Athens. They do not have a sepa-rate jurisdiction just because they are Lebanese Or-thodox.

Archimandrite Gregorios Papathomas, a professorof Canon Law and Dean of St. Sergius TheologicalInstitute in Paris, France, wrote, “The defining crite-rion of an ecclesiastical body has been its location. Ithas never been nationality, race, culture, ritual orconfession.” In First Corinthians (1:2), St. Paul writes,“To the Church of God which is at Corinth . . . ,” andagain in Second Corinthians he writes, “To the Churchof God which is at Corinth . . . “. He writes to theGalatians, “To the Church of Galatia . . .” (1:2). Welearn from the Apostles and the Fathers that the churchis one church, one and the same church, the body ofChrist, found in Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria,

Cont. on page 13


Recently, we had the honour to attend a Militaryawards ceremony in Quebec City, Quebec. The Cana-dian Chief of Defense (equivalent of the US DefenseSecretary) was the presiding dignitary. With each re-cipient, a citation was read of the accomplishmentsand achievements that made them worthy of the award.Each one of the men and women had shown bravery,valour, gallantry and initiative as well as saving lives.A couple even gave the ultimate sacrifice. Their pic-tures weren’t in the papers, because that is not what

If we are fortunate enough to be in their midst, wemay be surprised to hear the accomplishments of friends,neighbours and relatives. They may have suffered insilence or accomplished great things without recogni-tion. Like the builders of the great cathedrals, or ico-nographers of Holy Icons, no one knows their names,but their works are great and live on for centuries.Each person is known to God, and their accomplish-ments will be exposed. Even the smallest effort willbe known and announced. “For whatever is hidden is

ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTYby

Psa. Lillian Lupu

that each one may receive what is due him for thethings done while in the body, whether good or bad”(2 Corinthians 5:10). For those who will be com-mended for the work done, they will be able to standtall and be proud; for the job was done for love of Godand fellow man. The reward will be Life Eternal withour Lord, and the loved ones who will be there willshare in the joy of the Father. “But I say unto you, thatevery idle word that men shall speak, they shall giveaccount thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew12:36).

At the award ceremony, I thought also about thosemen and women fighting in our Armed Forces whohave accomplished great feats but are not recognized.They may have been brave, saved one or more lives,and maybe even suffered, but all in silence. No onecalls their name to the front for a medal. No one patsthem on the back to say “good job.” No one shakestheir hand and says “we’re proud of you.” They con-tinue to fight and do their job, because that’s whatthey do.

This will be our experience at the Final Judgment.

makes news in our soci-ety today. They worked‘above and beyond thecall of duty’, not for therecognition, but becausethe job had to be done.One recipient told me,‘we don’t do it for themedal’. That was plain tosee. They did it for loveof Country and love fortheir comrades in arms.

During the ceremony,I imagined what it wouldbe like at the Final Judg-ment when each one ofus will approach our Lordand our accomplishmentswill be read out. “For wemust all appear before thejudgment seat of Christ,

accomplishments should be told to everyone who willlisten. Because of their actions, lives have been saved– maybe even our own. But they don’t live for therecognition. If it comes their way, they graciouslyaccept it and move on. How many of us wait for therecognition and are bitter if it doesn’t come along?Some stop doing their job at work, at home or atchurch, because someone didn’t recognize them. Theyhave lived for worldly recognition and sacrificed theirheavenly recognition.

Each one of us has to gather the courage to work forthe Final Awards ceremony, to do the job for God andnot care if our ‘dove’ can be seen by others. If we missthe pat on the back here in our world, let’s pray thatGod will reward us with the ultimate award: EternalLife. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold ofthe Eternal Life of which you were called” (1 Timothy6:12).

meant to be disclosed,and whatever is con-cealed is meant to bebrought out into theopen” (Mark 4:22). Thereis a story about a churchbuilder who was foundmaking an image of adove. But this stone dove,once installed, would behidden behind a thick walland never seen. Whenasked why he was doingit, he said, “because Godknows it is here.”

How many of us livefor the recognition of oth-ers? Those soldiers at theawards ceremony are ex-amples to us who live ina peaceful society. Their


Back in the early 60s I had to catch the subwayeach morning on the east side of Manhattan, to get tomy seminary intern position. From our tiny 6th floorwalk-up apartment on York Avenue, I passed by a rundown tenement building not far from the mouth of thestation. Two or three times a week two guys werehuddled against the stoop of the building, passingback and forth a bottle of cheap wine partially hiddenin a brown paper sack. On my last trek before movingout of town and back to the seminary in cozy NewHaven, I passed those two fellows again. With themthis time was a young kid, not more than thirteen.When the sack passed his way, he took a swig, justlike the others. Dirty, grubby, smelly and drunk. That’sthe way I saw them. When I spotted the boy with theother two, it almost made me cry. I went on my way,angry and non-plussed, but after a while I forgot aboutit.

You can’t ride the metro in Paris very far at allwithout some disheveled soul getting on, to serenadethe voyagers or torment them with dilapidated instru-ments, from guitars to trumpets, played too loud andoff-key. Then they pass the hat, as though they hadactually entertained everybody on board. When theyget off at the next station, we expel a collective sighof relief. Then they, too, are forgotten. As are theMuslim women who line the metro walls, hands out-stretched, mumbling in a Franco-Arabic patois whilethey clutch to their breast someone else’s baby. Thechildren get passed around that way. We all knowthat, so we dismiss it as a racket. After all, some ofthem strike it rich, relatively speaking, taking in sev-eral handfuls of euros in a single eight to ten hoursitting. It’s easy to dismiss them, to look the otherway as we pass by, pretending we’ve got to catch thetrain that’s just about to signal its departure. We hopthrough the closing doors, feeling irked and a littleashamed. But, as we remind ourselves, the poor willalways be with us...

It took a personal encounter for me finally to put aface on some of these lost souls. Sunday mornings atthe St Alexander Nevsky cathedral in Paris an oldwoman used to sit on the ledge by the sidewalk andwait for some exiting parishioner to put a coin into herhand. Her coat was tattered, her hair was unkempt,and her hunched body betrayed her depression. Oneday we struck up a conversation with her. Her familyhad fled Russia following the October Revolution,and she had been brought up in France. We discov-ered that she was highly cultured and spoke severallanguages. Details she gradually shared with us of-fered a picture of someone who had suffered im-mensely. Somehow she had been abandoned, and likemany “clochards” of the street, she kept alive in the

LOST SOULSBy Very Rev. Fr. John Breck

winter by sleeping on a grate that was warmed bysteam from below and by eating whatever she couldfind, usually in garbage cans stashed behind localrestaurants. This woman, though (and to my shame,I’ve forgotten her name), was a person, a presence.She had her own history, her own fears, sacrifices,loves, and occasional joys. There was nothing irritat-ing or aggressive about her to make us want to turnaway; she did nothing to make us put up our guard orfeel resentful around her. She just sat on that cementledge after Sunday Liturgy, hoping someone wouldsee in her something other than another annoyingbeggar. See in her a person - someone down on theirluck, unable to do much more than subsist - yet aperson.

An old clochard used to hang out near the Patriar-chal parish in the rue Saint Victor on the Left Bank,a small storefront church located in what used to be anOriental restaurant. It’s filled with icons by one of itsmost well-known and gifted parishioners, LeonidOuspensky. One day, somebody in that humble com-munity had the idea, the blessed inspiration, to invitethe clochard into a service. As it was related to me, hereluctantly accepted, entered the building and kept tothe rear, more or less out of sight. To the mild surpriseof some who recognized him, he came back, again andagain. Some time later, he was chrismated. The clochardhad become an Orthodox Christian, and as far as Iknow, he remains such today. A life turned around. Alost soul, found.

I’m not sure where I’m going with this, but I thinkI need a reminder. I need to remember that thesepeople, so often embarrassing, so easily dismissed,are God’s children, loved by the Creator who madethem in His own image. And whether they hear it ornot, they are called - invited and implored - to journeytoward His “likeness,” to become holy as He is holy,to welcome His love into their life and allow that loveto transform everything in and about them.

These lost souls are persons, beings of infinite valueand worthy of boundless respect, understanding andcompassion. Many of them, certainly, would laugh atthat, because life is tough, and talk of God’s love andmercy sounds phony and hollow. Or in their druginduced state of numbness they simply can’t relate toit, or don’t want to. But that doesn’t diminish thereality, the truth of it. It doesn’t make them any lesshuman, any less worthy of being treated as we our-selves want to be treated. It doesn’t change the factthat they are souls, lost to the world but never out ofGod’s sight, never abandoned by the Crucified One.

The next time I pass by some guys huddled in adrunken stupor beside a tenement building, or spot

Cont. on page 16


Dearborn Heights, MI – Sts. Peter & Paul. Theparish maintains a Food Shelf for the needy, collect-ing canned and packaged goods and paper products.On Sunday, February 8, the annual Installation ofOfficers Banquet was held following the church ser-vices.

Detroit, MI - St. Raphael of Brooklyn. On Sun-day, January 11, an electrical fire at Ascension Mon-astery (the building in which St. Raphael parish ishoused) caused severe fire, smoke and water damageto the southeast side of the building, especially to thethird floor and the areas directly beneath. Thanks beto God that the parish church and monastery churchwere not affected, and no one was hurt. A crew ofworkers is on the job daily for clean-up and recon-struction, overseen and coordinated by Myke Jacobs,past parish council president.

Easton, CT – St. Dimitrie. The construction of thenew church exterior and site work is near completion,and the interior work is moving rapidly, with theexpectation that the certificate of occupancy will beobtained in early April.

Youngstown, OH – Holy Trinity. The church base-ment remodeling project is nearly complete due to thehard work and financial support of parishioners. Sun-day School and many other important activities usethese facilities. With thanks to God, members Val &Elaine Luca announce the safe return of their son Erikon January 10 after serving 10 months in Iraq with theOhio National Guard.

Hermitage, PA – Holy Cross. The parish hosts aPan-Orthodox Teen Group which was a great successin the Fall and now meets every two weeks. Theparish’s Annual Sweethearts’ Dinner on February 15honors married couples. With Great Lent starting onMarch 2, the annual Lenten education series will fea-ture two guest speakers: Fr. Patrick Reardon (formerprofessor of Old Testament, a convert to Orthodoxyand widely renowned speaker) on Saturday, March 21at St. George Serbian Church and Miss KathrynSaclarides (a graduate student from Chicago, whowill make a slide presentation of her recent four monthtrip to the holy places of Ethiopia) on Sunday, March29.

Fairlawn, OH - Presentation of Our Lord. Theparish celebrated its 95th Anniversary Patronal Feastday on January 31 & February 1 with services cel-ebrated by His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel. Afestive banquet with a Romanian menu followed theHierarchal Divine Liturgy on Sunday.

Southfield, MI – St. George Cathedral. The suc-cessful, 3rd Annual Christmas Concert was recordedlive, and the program is available on CD for $10. Visithttp://www.sgroc.org for more information.

Falls Church, VA – Protection of the Mother ofGod. A New Adult Education Series entitled “Com-parative Christianity” is offered by the parish for sixweeks, from January 21 – February 25 with guestspeakers on the topics: “The Historical Roots of Chris-tianity to 1054”; “The Roman Catholic Tradition”;“The Anglican Tradition”; “The Lutheran Tradition”;“The Reformed Tradition”; “The Evangelical Tradi-tion.”

Merrillville, IN – Descent of the Holy Spirit. Theparish celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2008, andalthough without a permanent priest, they thank Godthat they have still celebrated the Divine Liturgy eachSunday. During 2008, many improvements were madeto the church building, hall and grounds. In 2009, thehope is have a permanent parish priest assigned, toincrease attendance at church services and to concen-trate on renovations to the parish house.

PARISH BULLETINNOTES

are prepared, having confessed their sins. Such a taskis worked out best by the local priest who has regularinteraction with Church members. Should an indi-vidual seek spiritual counsel from another father con-fessor, he should first receive a blessing from hispriest, exercising a certain degree of caution. Pseudo-elders exist – some being associated with Americanand foreign monasteries – eager for disciples ready togive themselves over to their guidance.

None of this is written to diminish the importanceof confession or the priest’s role in the parish, or todemean our beloved monasteries. Rather, with thenewly illumined particularly in mind, we hope to pre-vent abuses and misunderstandings that can easilyarise out of enthusiasm for one’s new found faith andout of a desire to counsel and help those in need. Ihope that our clergy and faithful will take these wordsto heart, maintaining a fervent wish to “be saved andcome to the knowledge of the Truth.”

Reprinted from the website of the Diocese of theSouth (http://www.dosoca.org).

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ConfessionCont. from page 5


The singing tour of the Caedonia Chamber Choirof Sibiu, Romania to the USA was noted in many ofour parish bulletins. Having arrived from Washing-ton, DC, the 40 year-old choral ensemble directed byNicolae Soare offered an uplifting American andRomanian repertoire at St. Mary Cathedral in Cleve-land on December 21, 2008. The Divine Liturgy wascelebrated by Bishop Irineu, assisted by Frs. RemusGrama; Fr. Hieromonk Dionisie of the Holy Ascen-sion Monastery in Detroit, Hierodeacon Sebastian andDeacon Nicole Neagoe. The responses were given bythe combined Caedonia Choir and George EnescuChoir conducted by Mrs. Betty Catana. This choir ofthe ASTRA Association toured the Romanian Episco-

A MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS CONCERTIN CLEVELAND

The Caedonia Choir, His Grace Bishop Irineu and Fr. Remus Grama at St. Mary Cathedral, Cleveland

pate of America with the blessing of ArchbishopNathaniel. One of the singers, John Nemes, a studentin theology in Sibiu, is a member of our Episcopate.The Cleveland audience was moved by theirperfomrance. After a brief exchange of gifts, His GraceBishop Irineu welcomed and blessed the choir mem-bers. To honor the guests and set up “Mos Craciun’s”/Santa’s arrival, the parish offered a dinner, and thechildren of the church school presented a very specialNativity Program which was crowned by the unmistakencoming of...Santa. From Clevaland, the choir left forDetroit and other parishes of the Episcopate.

Fr. Remus Grama

director, Analucia Perdomo, of St. George Church,Pharr, TX. “Through our many visits over the pastseveral years, we’ve been blessed to see the MexicanExarchate grow, become a diocese, and now comeinto its own. It is great to, in some small way, havebeen part of it all.”

In addition to Metropolitan Jonah and ArchbishopDmitri, other members of the OCA Holy Synod whoparticipated in weekend celebration included HisEminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit andthe Romanian Episcopate; His Eminence, Archbishop

Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada; His Grace, BishopTikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; andHis Grace, Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco and theWest. Other clergy in attendance included ArchpriestsErnesto Rios and Ramon Merlos; Archpriest DennisPihach, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada;Igumen Nazario Ipac-Uribe; and Priests José RaulValencia-Salinas, Jorge Barrera-Zermeno, AntonioPerdomo, and José Luis Serna-Estrada; and PriestmonksVictorin Torres-Martinez and Serafin MendozaSegundo. A number of deacons, sub-deacons andmonastics were also present for the weekend.

From the website of the Orthodox Church in America(www.oca.org) – January 28, 2009.

Exarchate of MexicoCont. from page 4


Constantinople, Greece, Rome, Russia, and so forth.Based on all of this, it is simply wrong to call thechurch Russian or Greek or American, because thechurch, in essence, transcends nationalism, race andculture. Here in North America, we distort Orthodoxecclesiology by our ethnic jurisdictions.

The twenty-first century has dawned upon us. What,then, is to be our response to the challenge of Ortho-dox unity in North America? SCOBA was establishedin 1961; some of its founders were the late Arch-bishop IAKOVOS and the late Metropolitan ANTONYBashir. May their souls rest in peace. Under “Objec-tives” in Paragraph I, Section C, the original constitu-tion of SCOBA, adopted January 24, 1961, states that“the purpose of the conference is the considerationand resolution of common ecclesiastical problems,the coordination of efforts in matters of common con-cern to Orthodoxy, and the strengthening of Orthodoxunity.” Last year, between October 3 and 6, SCOBAinvited all canonical Orthodox Bishops to meet inChicago, Illinois, to discuss common Orthodox prob-lems. The communique issued on October 5, 2006,did not mention a word about Orthodox unity inAmerica.

Again in November, 2006, a meeting of Inter-Or-thodox priests met in Brookline, Massachusetts. Adraft statement dated January 22, 2007, was circulatedand not a word about Orthodox unity in North Americawas mentioned. I am convinced that serious attemptsare being made, by some hierarchs in North Americaand abroad, to sweep the whole question of Orthodoxunity, in this hemisphere, under the rug. After theBrookline encounter, one of my Antiochian clergywrote to me the following: “Two of the Greek priestsgave very strong talks on unity. We did decide, how-ever, that given the landscape, we would use the word‘cooperation’ and not ‘unity’ in our printed records.”This statement, my friends, speaks for itself.

We Orthodox must put our house in order, if wewant to have a serious Orthodox mission in NorthAmerica.

I believe that an Ecumenical Council would be verydifficult at this time. It would probably cause a divi-sion, or numerous divisions in the Church, and thiswould be counter-productive. After all, if an issuesuch as changing the calendar causes splits and divi-sion, imagine what would happen if we were to dis-cuss more serious issues. Fortunately or unfortunately,we no longer have the Byzantine emperor to enforcedecisions that such a council might make.

As an alternative, I propose the formation of aninter-Orthodox commission, located some place likeGeneva, Switzerland, on which each autocephalouschurch and each self-ruled church would have a per-manent representative. To this commission, they wouldbring issues and problems to be discussed on behalf ofthe mother churches, and they would deal with spe-

cific Orthodox problems throughout the world. Thedecisions of the commission would be submitted to allmother churches for action.

With all the obstacles we face, have we reached adead end? No, with the All-Holy Spirit working in theChurch, there are no dead ends. I am sure that thou-sands of Orthodox clergy and hundreds of thousandsof Orthodox laity in North America are deeply com-mitted to Orthodox unity. We Orthodox must put ourhouse in order, if we want to have a serious Orthodoxmission in North America. This unity will begin withour clergy and laity, on the local level. My generationis slowly, but surely, fading away. It is up to you andour younger generation to carry the torch and to makethe light of a unified Orthodoxy shine on this conti-nent and everywhere.

Canon 28 Cont. from page 8

2009 AROY DEBUTANTECOTILLION BALL

Cleveland AROY is gearing up to host the 60th

Annual AROY Conference at St. Mary RomanianOrthodox Cathedral during the Labor Day weekend ofSeptember 4-7, 2009. We are hoping to make theweekend and the Cotillion Debutante Ball spectacularfor participants and guests. It is our intention to cel-ebrate the pomp and circumstance of the AmericanCotillion Ball and recognize the rich history and memo-ries made at past AROY Cotillions.

For those who are unfamiliar with what a debutanteball is, it is an event where a young female is formallyintroduced into society, and in our example, formallyintroduced into the society of the Romanian AmericanOrthodox Community. A debutante ball is referred toas a Cotillion in the United States and is quite often aformal, black tie gala. It is usually completed with areceiving line of dignitaries to whom the debutanteand her family are introduced.

In recognition that the debutantes are between theages of 16-18 years old and the environment is a“Formal Event”, discretion and design of the attireand gown is a critical component to the event. Thecommittee is committed to avoiding disappointmentsand misunderstandings. For those young women whoare planning on participating, it is strongly encour-aged for debutantes to be aware of the expectationsand decorum associated with your dress, the role ofyour family, and escort. There will be strict adher-ence to event guidelines.

We are confident that it will be a magical weekendand wonderful gala. Our Committee, BethanyAvramaut, Oliviana Catrone, Jessica Francu, EmilyLipovan, Stephanie Monroe, and Ashley Neumannare working diligently on this event. Please visit ourwebsite, www.clevelandaroy.org for Cotillion guide-lines or contact [email protected] for im-mediate questions and concerns.


IN MEMORYPREOTEASA TATIANA

PRISACAROUPsa. Tatiana Prisacarou (nee Elladi), the widow of

Rev. Fr. Basil Prisacarou, who served Holy CrossChurch, Alexandria, Virginia from 1985-1988, fellasleep in the Lord on January 29, 2009, following alengthy recovery from surgery. She had been living inAstoria, NY. With the saints give rest, O Christ, to thesoul of your servant Preoteasa Tatiana where there isno pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlast-ing. May her memory be eternal.

EPISCOPATE SUPPORTERSM/M John Serban, Indianapolis, IN ................. $1,250.00V Rev Fr & Psa Catalin Mitescu,

Claremont, CA ..................................................... $500.00Dr & Mrs Ion Petrea, New Haven, CT ............... $300.00John T Bogdan, Glenside, PA .............................. $200.00Dr & Mrs. Gheorghe Marinescu,

West Bloomfield, MI .......................................... $200.00Helen Powell, Pittsfield, MA ................................. $200.00Mihail & Lenuta Teodorescu,

King of Prussia, PA ............................................ $200.00George & Evie Dobrin, Blacklick, OH ............... $100.00M/M Michael Glodich, Cleveland, OH ............... $100.00Dimitru Radu, Woodside, NY .............................. $100.00George & Vivian Radu, Philadelphia, PA .......... $100.00George & Mary Ross, Schererville, IN ............... $100.00Helen Borza, Beaver Falls, PA ............................... $50.00Elena Ghyka, Arlington, VA ................................... $50.00M/M Paul Costea, Dearborn Hts, MI ..................... $50.00Joseph & Magdalena Ilcus, Jupiter, FL ................ $50.00George & Nancy Ittu, Cleveland, OH ................... $50.00M/M Stephen Shonn, Youngstown, OH ................ $50.00Julie Uscatu, Riverdale, NY .................................... $50.00Emil & Kathleen Bologa, Akron, OH ................... $40.00Anna Jonascu, Westland, MI .................................. $35.00M/M Ovidiu Grama, Berea, OH ............................ $25.00George & Violet Kaibas, Farrell, PA .................... $25.00M/M Nick Preda, Bradenton, FL ............................ $25.00Ray & Mary Sankey, New Castle, PA .................. $25.00

GENERAL DONATIONSNational ARFORA .............................................. $1,100.00

(ARFORA House Renovation Project)Sts Michael & Gabriel, Sacramento, CA ............ $552.69

(Hierarch Travel Expenses)Subdeacon Robert T Mitchell, Detroit, MI ........ $125.00Rev Fr Iosif Lapuste, North Vancouver, BC ........ $50.00United Way of Central Mexico,

Albuquerque, NM .................................................. $20.04

EPISCOPATE ASSESSMENT (DUES)St Elias, Ellwood City, PA (2009) ..................... $2,580.00

MEMORIAMDr Victor & Delia Velculescu, Dayton, MD ...... $500.00

(Donation IMO V Rev Fr George Calciu)Zamfira Posteuca, Wilmette, IL ............................. $50.00

(IMO Husband Vasile Posteuca)Iuliana Campean, Grosse Pointe Park, MI ............ $20.00

(IMO Valentina Cornea & Istina Chesches)

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION(Donations to Camp Vatra)

M/M Stephen Miroy, Stafford, VA ...................... $234.00V Rev Fr Dimitrie Vincent, Redford, MI ........... $200.00

A.R.O.Y. ROMANIAN FLOOD ASSISTANCE APPEALSt Mary, Laval, QC ................................................ $300.00St Nicholas, Alliance, OH ...................................... $100.00

FINANCIAL REPORTDEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS

National ARFORA .............................................. $5,165.47(St Paraschiva Mission Appeal)

AROY-STANITZ SCHOLARSHIP FUNDAnonymous .............................................................. $500.00

HIERARCHAL SCHEDULE

November 28-December 1. Winnipeg, MB. Sat-urday: St. George. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Pasto-ral visit. Sunday: Holy Trinity Ukrainian Cathe-dral. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. 25th Anniversary ofMetropolitan John. Banquet. Evening: Colloquiumwith young people’s association.

December 5-8. Ottawa, ON. St. Nicholas Mis-sion. Saturday: Hierarchal Divine Liturgy for PatronalFeast day. Banquet. Evening: Holy Trinity Cathe-dral (OCA). Great Vespers. Sunday: St. NicholasMission. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Luncheon.

December 14. Detroit, MI. Ascension Monas-tery. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Children’s Christ-mas program.

December 21. Southfield, MI. St. George Cathe-dral. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy.

December 25. Southfield, MI. St. George Cathe-dral. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy for Nativity of theLord. Reception.

December 26-29. Washington, DC. St. NicholasCathedral. Enthronement of Metropolitan Jonah.

January 4. Southfield, MI. St. George Cathe-dral. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Blessing of Waterfor Theophany.

January 13-20. Mexico City, Mexico. Meetingswith Metropolitan Jonah and members of the HolySynod. Enthronement of Bishop Alejo.


More than 400 faithful witnessed the 16th Annual Nativity Concert sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Councilof Orthodox Clergy on Dec. 14, 2008, at the Holy Trinity Church in Parma. Eight choirs, including Romanian,Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian, Greek and American traditions participated, representing St. Sava Cathedral, St.Sergius Cathedral, St. Vladimir Cathedral, St. Mary Cathedral, Annunciation Church, St. Demetrios Church, HolyTrinity Church and St. Herman Monastery. The event chairman was Fr. Remus Grama and the host pastor was Fr.Vladimir Berzonsky. More photos may be viewed at: http://www.pbase.com/gregvett/panortho(www.Orthodoxcleveland.us).

CLEVELAND INTER-ORTHODOXNATIVITY CONCERT

SOLIA

May 16, 2008 - January 23, 2009We gratefully acknowledge the following donations and

subscriptions to Solia-The Herald:

FRIENDSNational AROY ...................................................... $500.00Florika Zurz, Flushing, NY

(IMO parents Margaret and Adam Zurz) ......... $165.00Ioana Florea, Lake Forest, CA ............................... $80.00Virginia Moore, Garden City, MI ........................... $50.00Constantin Ardeleanu,Valparaiso, IN ................... $30.00Didi Duma, Morton Grove, IL ................................ $30.00Andre G. Gib, Chandler, AZ ................................... $30.00Dan/Maria Marginean, Homewood, IL ................. $30.00Eugenia Tirmonia, Canton, OH

(IMO father Fr. Eugen Lazar) ............................. $30.00Dr. Cynthia Barb, Uniontown, OH ........................ $25.00Helen Szabo, Bokeelia, FL ...................................... $25.00Aurelia Fagarasan, Los Angeles, CA .................... $20.00John T. Fagarasan, Brea, CA ................................. $20.00Dorothy Rotelick, Regina, SK Canada................... $20.00Dorina Vulcu, Shelby Township, MI ..................... $20.00Valerie/Stan Pogany, Regina, SK Canada ............. $18.45Elena Bogdan, Ottawa, ON Canada ....................... $15.83Emil Chiaburu, Grand Rapids, MI ......................... $15.00Valer Luca, Boardman, OH ..................................... $15.00Ronald Muresan, Bloomfield, MI .......................... $15.00Marin Roman, Gary, IN .......................................... $15.00Mary Tilea, Canfield, OH ........................................ $15.00Philip Baia, Boulder, CO ........................................... $5.00George Fara, Santa Monica, CA............................. $5.00

Valerie Papenheim, Venice, FL.............................. $5.00Ion Petrea, West Haven, CT ................................... $5.00

SUBSCRIPTIONSNarcis Anghel, Longmont, COPhilip Baia, Boulder, COFr. Teodor Bita, Manor, TXElizabeth Ciocanea, Cleveland, OHE.E. Coan, Westborough, MADelia Daba, Kenosha, WIAnn Drake, Toronto, OHGeorge Fara, Santa Monica, CANicolae Ghetu, Mesa, AZMike/Daniela Hernandez, Portage, MIKaren Koertge, Wheaton, ILValerie Papenheim,Venice, FLIon Petrea, West Haven, CTGeorge Rosca, Massillon, OHGus A. Silagi, Aurora, ILFlorika Zurz, Flushing, NYJohn De Mintici, Toronto, ONLes Lutic, Edmonton, ABFr. Mihaiu Resiga, Sibiu, Romania

MOVING?Send your old and new addresses to:

SOLIA, PO BOX 185GRASS LAKE, MI 49240 USA

or e-mail to: [email protected]


through the commuter-crowd a Muslim woman beg-ging for euros, or get approached by some annoyingself-styled musician who holds me captive in a sub-way car, or run into somebody who simply looks atme in an imploring way that makes me want to avertmy eyes, I hope I’ll remember one thing. I hope I’llremember that every clochard, every beggar, everyhard-luck outcast is in some way a reflection of my-self. That I, every bit as much as that person, ampotentially a lost soul, in constant need of God’s infi-nite mercy, forgiveness, compassion and love.

Published by The Orthodox Church in America(http://www.oca.org) in January 2008 as part of the“Reflections in Christ” series.

ARFORA Undergraduate Scholarship for Women Two scholarships of $1000 each may be awarded

annually to women who have successfully completedthe first year of a baccalaureate program at an accred-ited college or university. They must also be regis-tered in the next year of their program of undergradu-ate study. These women must be voting communicantmembers of the ROEA. (See Application Require-ments below).ARFORA - Martha Gavrila Scholarship for Women

One scholarship of $1,000 may be awarded annu-ally to a woman who has completed a baccalaureatedegree and has been accepted for graduate work at anaccredited college or university. The applicant mustbe registered in a graduate program and must specifyher course of study. She must also be a voting com-municant member of the ROEA. (See ApplicationRequirements below).

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FORARFORA SCHOLARSHIPS

Besides the conditions listed above, the applicantmust submit the following, which constitutes a formalapplication: 1) Three letters of recommendation mustbe mailed sealed, directly to the attention of theA.R.F.O.R.A. Undergraduate or Martha Gavrila Schol-arship Committee at the address listed below: onefrom the parish priest, and two from individuals notrelated to the applicant, attesting to her character. 2)A photograph must be included with the above speci-fied information. 3) A formal letter projecting theapplicant’s plans, including personal goals, projecteduse of degree, church and community involvement,honors and awards.

Send completed application by APRIL 30, 2009to: ARFORA Undergraduate (or) ARFORA -Martha Gavrila Scholarship, C/O 222 Orchard ParkDr, New Castle PA 16105-3018 .

Wm. R. Stanitz / AROY ScholarshipIn August of 1971, the Constantin J. Stanitz family

of Chicago established a Scholarship Fund in memoryof their son, William Robert Stanitz, who met a tragicdeath in California. Two undergraduate scholarshipsof $1,000 each may be awarded annually. The appli-cant must be an active AROY member, a graduate ofhigh school or a college student, or one who intendsto enroll in a school or college of university level. Thefollowing constitutes a formal application: (a) a bio-graphical history including family (b) educationalbackground and grades (c) AROY and Church activi-ties (d) extra-curricular interests or achievements (e)

reasons why applying for the scholarship (f) photo-graph (g) letter of recommendation from parish priestor AROY advisors regarding parish/AROY activities.All applicants who meet the qualifications and submitall of the necessary information will be eligible for thescholarship, which is awarded by random drawing.Send completed application by July 1, 2009 to:WILLIAM R. STANITZ - AROY SCHOLARSHIPFUND, ROMANIAN ORTHODOX EPISCOPATE,PO BOX 309, GRASS LAKE, MI 49240-0309.

Dumitru Golea Goldy-Gemu ScholarshipOffers two undergraduate scholarships of $1,500

each, which may be awarded annually to undergradu-ate students of Romanian origin according to the es-tablished requirements and rules. The applicant musthave completed high school or already be enrolled incollege. Application Deadline is MAY 31, 2009.Applicants may obtain requirements and formsfrom: GOLDY SCHOLARSHIP, ROMANIANORTHODOX EPISCOPATE, PO BOX 309, GRASSLAKE MI 49240-0309 or at the website listed above.

Bujea Memorial ScholarshipOne undergraduate scholarship of $500 may be

awarded annually to a Canadian student who has suc-cessfully completed one year of an accredited Ortho-dox Theological Program or a Late Vocations Pro-gram. It is limited to those who either seek ordinationinto the priesthood or who wish to serve the Church ina more professional manner. The applicant must be acommunicant voting member of the ROEA. For appli-cation forms, write to: Bujea Memorial ScholarshipCommittee, PO Box 1341, REGINA SK S4P 3B8CANADA. Application deadline: APRIL 30, 2009.

SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE ROMANIANORTHODOX EPISCOPATE (ROEA)

All information and some application forms may be accessed via the internet at:http://roea.org/scholarships.htm

Lost Souls Cont. from page 10


the Secondary Monastic Seminary at Cernica Monas-tery and the Seminary in Buzau, as well as the Theo-logical Institute, Faculty of Letters and Philosophyand the Academy of Arts in Bucharest.

In 1938, he entered monastic life at St Anna-RohiaMonastery in Somes, Transylvania, Romania. He wasordained into the Holy Diaconate by Bishop NICOLAE(Colan) at the Cathedral in Cluj-Napoca in 1939, andinto the Holy Priesthood by Bishop ANTIM (Nica) in1955. He was honored with the rank of Protosinghelat Antim Monastery in 1964, where he became anestablished iconographer. Having come to NorthAmerica at the invitation of Archbishop VICTORIN(Ursache) in 1967, he served the Sts Peter & PaulParish in Kitchener, Ontario, was honored with therank of Archimandrite in 1973, served as DiocesanSecretary for the Romanian Orthodox MissionaryArchdiocese from 1975 until 1994, and for 17 yearsserved as the choir director for the St George Cathe-dral in Windsor, Ontario. He painted icons for theiconostasis in several parishes in the United Statesand Canada; and, in 1978, he painted the Great Frescoof Romanian History in the Romanian Room at WayneState University in Detroit. Furthermore, he publishedeleven religious, historical and art books, some inRomanian and others translated into English or French.

Upon his retirement in 1994, Archimandrite Felixwas received under the omophorion of His Eminence,Archbishop NATHANIEL (Popp) and served as aspiritual father at Holy Dormition Monastery in RivesJunction, Michigan, together with Archimandrite Ro-man (Braga). In 2003, he joined the Holy AscensionMonastery in Detroit and served as Spiritual Fatherthere until recently when his health required that hemove to a nursing care facility near Detroit, where themonastic fathers continued to visit and care for him.

ARCHIMANDRITE FELIX (DUBNEAC)FALLEN ASLEEP IN THE LORD

Very ReverendArchimandr i teFelix (Dubneac)fell asleep in theLord on the Feastof the Nativity ofthe Lord, Thursday,December 25,2008, near Detroit,Michigan.

ArchimandriteFelix was born onJune 29, 1912, inVoloave, Soroca,Bessarabia, Roma-nia. His theologicaleducation included

After the Divine Liturgy followed by the Servicefor the Burial of a Priest at Holy Ascension Monastery(in the St Raphael Church) on December 27,Archimandrite Felix was buried at St Mary Cemeteryat Vatra Romaneasca, Grass Lake, Michigan. May hismemory be eternal!

Today, it seems like everyone carries a cell phoneno matter where they go. It can be a great conve-nience. It can also be a headache. Nevertheless, it’s anamazing and useful gadget, and even though it hasn’tbeen around for all that long, many people would beabsolutely lost without it.

Now, ask yourself if your Orthodox faith or theHoly Bible is as important as your cell phone. It’s asilly question, but like your phone, do you make surethat your Bible is with you everywhere you go? Isyour Orthodox Faith clearly with you right now? Is itcarefully in view, right there in your pocket or hang-ing from a chain for everyone to see, next to yourheart?

You’ll call someone night or day, or immediatelyanswer the phone whenever it rings, but do you in-stantly turn to your Faith at all times? Regardless ofthe hour, do you immediately “answer” every situa-tion, wherever you are, as the Lord expects of you,His Orthodox Christian child?

You always check your phone for messages, buthow often do you, as an Orthodox Christian, leaveprayerful messages for the Lord? How often do youcheck your heart to see what message He has sentyou? Have you called or “texted” Him back? He maynot answer when or as you want, but He always getsyour call, and He’ll never ever hang up on you!

Because you know how important that little phoneis when you’re away from home and help, especiallyin an emergency, you carry it with you and make sureyour spouse and children have one too. Well, whatabout your Faith? Have you given them the gift of theOrthodox Faith? It is their only Way through this life,their only hope in a dangerous world where right issaid to be wrong. It is the fountain of real joy, and theonly true source of peace of mind and eternal salva-tion.

Cell phones are great, and we pay to have one, butnothing is more important than our Orthodox Faith.And there’s no fee - except for non-use!

Father Laurence Lazar

ABOUT OUR CELLPHONES

18 SOLIA JAN/FEB 2009RUGATçI-VAË SçI LUCRATçI PENTRU UNITATE ORTODOXAË IN AMERICA DE NORD

A DOUA VENIRE A DOMNULUI IISUSHRISTOS SçI JUDECATA DE APOI

CUM NE PREGAËTIM PENTRUA DOUA VENIRE=

Iubiòi Fraòi Preoòi sçi Fraòi cresçtini.Cred ca¨ mulòi dintre fra¨òiile voastre va¨ aduceòi aminte

ca¨ la sa¨rba¨toarea ôna¨lòa¨rii Domnului Iisus Hristos sespune la Sfa[nta Liturghie sçi se face pomenire de JertfaDomnului nostru Iisus Hristos, de Patima Sa ma[ntuitoare,de Cruce, de ônmorma[ntare sçi aceasta o sçtim cei maimulòi. Dar mai facem pomenire sçi de ônvierea DomnuluiIisus Hristos, de ôna¨lòarea la cer, de sçederea de-a dreaptaTata¨lui sçi de cea sla¨vita¨, iara¨sçi, a doua venire. A douavenire a Domnului Hristos o ma¨rturisim de ca[te orispunem Simbolul Credinòei, ca[nd zicem despre Fiul luiDumnezeu cel ôntrupat sçi ôna[lòat la ceruri ca¨ ||iara¨sçi vasa¨ vie cu ma¨rire ....\\ Sçi spunem de ce va sa¨ vie> ||sa¨judece vii sçi moròii\\ sçi spunem despre ômpa¨ra¨òia Lui ca¨||nu va avea sfa[rsçit\\. Sçi tot ôn Credeu spunem ca¨||asçtepta¨m ônvierea moròilor sçi viaòa veacului ce va sa¨fie.\\

Iubiòi Fraòi sçi Surori ôn Domnul.Toate acestea< ônvierea moròilor, a doua venire a lui

Hristos, judecata de apoi sçi ra¨splata ce va sa¨ fie, lepomenim, ôn aceasta¨ perioada¨ a la¨satului sec de carne.

Despre a doua venire a Domnului Hristos a vorbit Elônsusçi ucenicilor sa¨i ôn mai multe ra[nduri sçi cine citesçtecu luare aminte cele ce sunt scrise ôn Sfa[nta Evangheliega¨sesçte acolo multe din cuvintele Fiului lui Dumnezeurostite despre cea de a doua venire a Lui. La Matei ôncap. 24, ôn Sfa[nta Evanghelie de la Marcu, ôn cap.13, ônSfa[nta Evanghelie de la Luca, ôn cap 17 sçi 21, suntcuprinse cuvinte pe care le-a rostit Domnul Iisus Hristosdespre cea de a doua venire a Sa. Se ôntreaba¨ oamenii deasta¨zi, s-au ôntrebat cei de ieri, s-au ôntrebat cei dinvremea Domnului Hristos= Ca[nd vine Iisus Hristos iara¨sçi=Ca[nd va sa¨ vie iara¨sçi sa¨ judece vii sçi moròii= Ra¨spunsulcel mai adeva¨rat la aceasta¨ ôntrebare este cel pe care l-a dat Domnul Hristos ca[nd a zis> ||Iara¨ ziua sçi de ceasulacela nimenea nu sçtie, nici ôngerii din cer, nici Fiul, cinumai Tata¨l\\ (Matei 24, 36).

Prin urmare, de va veni cineva sçi va spune ca¨ venireaDomnului Hristos e cura[nd sau este ta[rziu, ca¨ Domnulvine ôndata¨ sau ca¨ trece ônca¨ multa¨ vreme pa[na¨ va veniEl, se arata¨ mai ônòelept deca[t cuva[ntul din dumnezeiascaEvanghelie care spune la¨murit ceea ce am spus maiônainte. Dar, iubiòi fraòi, noi care suntem ma¨rturisitori aiônvierii celei din moròi, ai celei de a doua venire aMa[ntuitorului Hristos, ai judeca¨òii ce va sa¨ fie sçi aira¨spla¨tirii celei de dupa¨ judecata¨, nu-i destul numai sa¨ne ga[ndim ca¨ nu sçtim ca[nd va veni Domnul Hristos, cisa¨ auzim cuvintele pe care le-a spus El alta¨ data¨>||Priveghiaòi sçi va¨ rugaòi ca¨ ziua aceea sa¨ va¨ ga¨seasca¨

prega¨tiòi.\\Doua¨ cuvinte mai ales, rostite de Domnul Hristos,

sunt potrivite sa¨ le avem ôn mintea noastra¨> ||De ziua sçide ceasul acela nimenia nu sçtie, nici ôngerii din ceruri,nici Fiul, ci numai Tata¨l\\, sçi\\Priveghiaòi sçi va¨ rugaòica ziua aceea sa¨ va¨ ga¨seasca¨ prega¨tiòi.\\(Luca 21, 36).Sa¨ fim ôn asçteptare, ôntr-o asçteptare adeva¨rata¨, sa¨ fimprega¨tiòi sa¨-l putem ônta[mpina pe Domnul Hristos, orica[ndar veni El, ca unii care suntem cu luare aminte la viaòanoastra¨ sçi sa¨ tra¨im ôn asça fel ca sa¨ putem orica[nd ôncepeviaòa cea ômpreuna¨ cu Domnul Hristos, ôn vesçnicie.

Sigur ca¨ Domnul Hristos a spus sçi unele semne carevor fi ônaintea celei de a doua venire a Lui> unele s-auômplinit, altele sunt foarte generale, e greu sa¨ spunemcare sunt cele implinite, care mai trebuie sa¨ se ômplineasca¨.ön orice caz, noi sa¨ fim prega¨tiòi ca sa¨ putem iesçi ôntruônta[mpinarea Domnului orica[nd va fi aceasta.

Sçi ca[nd va veni Domnul Hristos ™™vor sta ônaintea luitoate neamurile pa¨ma[ntului££,cum a ma¨rturisit El ônsusçisçi cum am auzit ma¨rturisirea Lui, chiar ôn Evanghelia deasta¨zi. Vor sta ônaintea Lui viii sçi moròii. Asça spunemnoi ôn Crez> ||Sçi iara¨sçi va sa¨ vie\\. De ce= ||Sa¨ judece\\.Pe cine= ||Pe cei vii sçi pe cei moròi.\\ Cum ôi va judecape cei vii sçi pe cei moròi= öi va judeca ca pe unii caresunt vii, pentru ca moròii vor ônvia. Noi credem ôn ônviereamoròilor sçi ôn viaòa veacului ce va sa¨ vie. Asçtepta¨mônvierea moròilor. Cum se poate sa¨ ônvie cei moròi= Asçacum Dumnezeu a fa¨cut lumea din nimic, asça cum dinnefiinòa¨ ôntru fiinòa¨ a adus pe om, tot asça ôl va ônvia dinmoròi, cu puterera Sa dumnezeiasca¨. Domnul nostruIisus Hristos ôi va ônvia pe toòi oamenii ca sa¨ stea ônaintealui la judecata¨.

CUM NE PREGAËTIM DE JUDECATADE APOI=

Sçi ce se va ônta[mpla la Judecata¨= La judecata¨ vomavea toòi sa¨ da¨m ra¨spuns de cele ce le-am fa¨cut ôn viaòa,de cele ce le-am vorbit, de cele ce le-am ga[ndit, dar,iubiòii mei, de unde sçtim noi ca¨ la judecata¨ vom avea dedat un ra¨spuns= De acolo, ca¨ ne spune Sfa[nta Biserica¨,prin ôndemnurile ei, sa¨ cerem de la Dumnezeu, ôn fiecarezi sçi mai ales la Sfintele Slujbe, sa¨ ni se da¨ruiasca¨ ceva.Ce= ||Sfa¨rsçit cresçtinesc vieòii noastre, neônfruntat ôn pace.\\Sçi mai ce= ||sçi ra¨spuns bun la ônfricosça¨toarea judecata¨ alui Hristos.\\ Asçadar, fiind chemaòi cu toòii sa¨ sta¨m ônaintealui Dumnezeu la Judecata de Apoi ni se va cere ra¨spunsdespre felul cum ne-am raportat la Ma[ntuitorul nostruIisus Hristos, cum i-am slujit Lui, cum i-am ajutat pefraòii Lui mai mici, cum L-am ajutat pe El ônsusçi saucum nu L-am ajutat ca[nd am putut sa¨ facem bine celorcare au trebuinòa¨ de bine. Ne spune Sfa[nta Evangheliecuvintele Domnului Hristos, dupa¨ ce va despa¨ròi pe cei

CUVA[NT DE SUFLET - FEBRUARIE

Duminica la¨satului sec de carne.(A önfricosça¨toarei Judeca¨òi)

Mt. 25, 31 -46

Cont. la pag. 21

SOLIA JAN/FEB 2009 19RUGATçI-VAË SçI LUCRATçI PENTRU UNITATE ORTODOXAË IN AMERICA DE NORD

Duminica¨ 13 ianuarie 2008 a trecut la cele vesçnicebunul roma[n sçi credincios, Iosif Ba¨dila¨, devotat membrual Parohiei Ortodoxe Roma[ne Sfa[ntul Nicolae sçibinecunoscut ôn sa[nul comunita¨òii roma[nesçti.

Iosif Ba¨dila¨ s-a na¨scut la 26 aprilie 1921 ôn comunaSebesçul de Sus, judeòul Sibiu, din pa¨rinòii Vasile sçiAna Ba¨dila¨, buni cresçtini sçi vrednici ceta¨òeni. A urmatsçcoala primara¨ ôn Sebesçul de Sus, apoi a terminatLiceul Comercial din Sibiu sçi Academia de önalteStudii Comerciale sçi Industriale din Brasçov, termina[ndcu masterat. Fiind student la Brasçov, a fost luat ônarmata¨ sçi a luptat ôn al doilea ra¨zboi mondial la Bacaüsçi apoi la Timisçoara, fiind veteran de ra¨zboi. A fost unbun roma[n, sçi-a iubit òara sçi poporul, sçi a primit medaliaCrucea Comemorativa¨ a celui de al doilea ra¨zboimondial. A ônceput serviciul ôn 1947 la Cisna¨die,judeòul Sibiu, ca sçef contabil la Ma¨tasea Rosçie. ön1949 s-a ca¨sa¨torit cu aleasa inimii lui, ta[na¨ra domnisçoara¨Justina Stoia, care abia terminase liceul Domniòa Ileanadin Sibiu. Casa le-a fost binecuva[ntata¨ cu doua¨ fetiòeminunate, pe care le-a iubit foarte mult, Gigi sçi Sanda.Au traït ôn Cisna¨die pa[na¨ ôn anul 1970, ca[nd au plecatdin Roma[nia ôn America, la sora lui, Ana sçi soòul eiJohn Jonascu.

ön Statele Unite a lucrat la Allied Supermarket sçiapoi la General Motors, unde a lucrat pa[na¨ la pensie.Ca membru ôn Consiliul Parohial al Bisericii Sfa[ntulNicolae din Troy, MI, a servit ôn funcòia de Casier.Desçi a plecat dintre noi, a ra¨mas ôn sufletele sçi

IN MEMORIAM> IOSIF BADILA26 aprilie 1921 – 13 ianuarie 2008

ruga¨ciunile soòiei Justina, fetelor Gigi sçi Sanda, ginereluiMichael, nepoatei Michelle sçi soòului ei Chris, nepoòilorPierre sçi Alex, stra¨nepoatelor Ashley sçi Lauren,stra¨nepotului Andrew, pe care ra¨posatul Iosif Ba¨dilaï-a iubit nespus de mult. De asemenea, ra¨ma[ne ônamintirile ôntregii familii, sçi anume> sora Ana sçi fa-milia ei, nepoatele Silvia sçi Iustina cu familiile lor,cumnatele Livia sçi Lucia cu familiile lor, sçi a tuturorprietenilor.

A fost prohodit, dupa datina¨, de Pa¨rintele GheorgheCa[rstea, ôn Biserica Ortodoxa Roma[na¨ Sfa[ntul Nicolaedin Troy, Michigan, sçi a fost ônmorma[ntat ôn cimitirulde la Vatra Roma[neasca¨ din Grass Lake, Michigan.

Este mult regretat cu lacrimi de familia ce se roaga¨pentru odihna sufletului saü.

Dumnezeu sa ¨-l ierte, iar pomenirea sa ¨-i fiebinecuva[ntata¨!

Justina Ba¨dila¨, soòia

Maïcuòa mea, nu-s gata ca sa¨ mor>am inima¨ si ma[ini sçi piciorusçe.De nicaïeri nu-mi vine ajutor,ma¨ zbat ôn chin, strivit ca o ca¨pusçe.

Sçi nu mi-e dat lumina sa¨ o va¨dma¨car o zi, ma¨car o raza¨ sfa[nta¨.Mi-e trupuleòul rana¨ sçi pra¨pa¨dön chinul instrumentelor ce ca[nta¨.

Mi-e frica¨, mama¨! Frica¨ sçi ma¨ doare.Opresçte chiuretajul, scuipa¨ sora!Din pa[ntec sfa[nt fa¨cura¨ ônchisoare.Vei patimi sçi tu precum Gomora.

Ca¨ci vin pe lume porci, omizi, ca¨òeiSçi vin gaïni sçi viermi sçi chiar ga[ndaci.,doar eu sunt preaucis de-ai mei.Sa¨rmana¨ maica¨, oare sçtii ce faci=

Maïcuòa¨ sfa[nta¨, lasa¨-i sa¨ vorbeasca¨.Eu te iubesc, tu ma¨ iubesçti pe mine.Opresçte chiuretajul, sa¨ se nascaün prunc pla¨pa[nd ôn pa[ntecul din tine.

Ca¨ci va veni sçi ziua ta din urma¨ca[nd vei muri sçi tu, de buna¨ seama¨.Unde vei fi> cu ucigasçii\n turma¨sau vei fi mama¨, dulce, scumpa¨ mama¨=

Florica Baòu Ichim

BALADA COPILULUI

NENASCUT


Arhimandrit Roman Braga a asistat ôn altar. ömi ra¨suna¨sçi acum ôn minte ôndemnurile pline de bla[ndeòe alePa¨rintelui Felix> ||Asça Pa¨rinte, sa¨ slujesti calm, ga[ndesçte-te ca¨ fiecare Liturghie e prima pe care o sa¨va[rsesçti, sa¨nu intervina¨ rutina...\\

Aveam sa¨-l reônta[lnesc pe Pa¨rintele Felix doi ani maita[rziu, odata¨ cu mutarea familiei mele ôn Michigan.Acelasçi Pa¨rinte sfa¨tos, ra¨bda¨tor, parca¨ neschimbat. Totusçiera o schimbare> nu mai putea sluji de unul singur SlujbaLiturghiei. ön cele ca[teva prilejuri ôn care am slujit laMa[na¨stire, aveam sa¨-l ga¨sesc ônsa¨ de fiecare data¨ ônaintede ônceperea slujbei, la priveghere sçi ruga¨ciune ôn altar.Am aflat mai apoi (desçi pa¨rintele rareori vorbea despreaceasta) ca¨ fa¨cuse parte din celebrul grup ||Rugul aprins\\de la ma[na¨stirea Antim, ala¨turi de alòi mari duhovnici sçidasca¨li de teologie ortodoxa¨ roma[neasca¨. Pentru ||crima\\de a se fi rugat sçi de a fi participat ôntr-o misçcare deônnoire spirituala¨, a petrecut sçase ani ôn ônchisorilecomuniste. Dupa¨ aproape doua¨zeci de ani ôn care a slujitca Secretar Eparhial ôn Arhiepiscopia Roma[na¨ Ortodoxa¨pentru America sçi Canada, s-a rega¨sit cu unul dintretovara¨sii saï de la ||Rugul aprins\\ sçi din temniòelecomuniste, Pa¨rintele Roman Braga, la Ma[na¨stirea||Adormirea Maicii Domnului\\ unde s-a retras din anul1994. Pa¨rintele Arhimandrit s-a remarcat sçi ca iconograf.Multe biserici din Statele Unite sçi Canada sunt pictatede Prea Cuviosçia Sa. Poate cea mai de seama¨ realizarea sa ôn domeniul picturii ra¨ma[ne Marea Fresca¨ a IstorieiRoma[niei ôn Camera Roma[na¨ de la Wayne State Uni-versity din Detroit (1978).

L-am descoperit ônsa¨ pe ca¨luga¨rul Felix Dubneac, ônurma¨ cu noua¨ ani, pe vremea ca[nd lucram ca secretar laCancelaria Episcopiei. Pa¨rintele Arhimandrit adresase oscrisoare önalt Prea Sfintiòului prin care cerea la¨murireasituaòiei transferului saü din cealalta¨ ArhiepiscopieRoma[na¨. Solicita aceasta dupa¨ o asçteptare de sçase ani dezile! nu pentru ca¨ nu l-ar fi interesat, ci pentru ca n-avrut sa¨-l tulbure pe Vla¨dicul cu situaòia sa ... önalt Prea

Sfinòitul Arhiepiscop Nathaniel a afirmat atunci ca¨ rareorii-a fost dat sa¨ vada¨ o asemenea pilda¨ de ra¨bdare. Puòinisçtiu ca¨ pa¨rintele Arhimandrit Felix a fost unul dintredonatorii de seama¨ ai Episcopiei noastre. E suficientônsa¨ sa¨ ra¨sfoiesçti paginile Soliei pentru a vedea numelePa¨rintelui Felix ôn ra[ndurile celor care-sçi dovedescdragostea faòa¨ de aproapele prin fapte. Din puòinul pensieisale de ca¨luga¨r pune deoparte pentru lucrarea caritabila¨.Am ra¨mas surprins ca[nd casierul Parohiei ||Buna Vestire\\din Grand Rapids, mi-a spus ca¨ unul dintre cei maiimportanòi donatori cu ocazia punerii pietrei de temeliela biserica pe care o pa¨storesc a fost Pa¨rintele FelixDubneac.

Na¨scut ôn Voloavele, la[nga¨ Soroca, ôn Basarabia ônziua de 29 iunie 1912, a urmat cursurile SeminaruluiMonahal de la Ma[na¨stirea Cernica sçi ale Seminarului dela Buzaü, cursurile Institului Teologic, ale Faculta¨òii deLitere sçi Filosofie sçi ale Academiei de Arte din Bucuresçti.ön anul 1938 a intrat ôn viaòa monahala¨ la Ma¨na¨stirea Sf.Ana – Rohia, ôn Maramuresç. A fost hirotonit deacon deEpiscopul Nicolae Colan la Catedrala din Cluj-Napocaôn 1939 sçi preot ôn 1955 de ca¨tre Episcopul Antim Nica.A trecut prin calvarul ônchisorilor comuniste vreme desçase ani ôntre 1958 sçi 1964. Din 1967 a venit ôn America,la invitaòia vrednicului de pomenire Arhiepiscop Victorin,ôn cadrul Arhiepiscopiei Ortodoxe Roma[ne din Americasçi Canada. ön 1973 a fost ôna¨lòat la rangul de Arhimandrit.öntre 1975 sçi 1994 a fost Secretarul Consiliului Eparhialal Arhiepiscopiei pa¨storite de vrednicul de pomenireArhiepiscop Victorin. ön toata¨ aceasta¨ perioada¨ a conduscorul Catedralei Sf. Gheorghe din Windsor, Canada.Din 1994, dupa¨ pensionare, a intrat sub omoforulArhiepiscopului Nathaniel sçi s-a retras la Ma[na¨stirea demaici ||Adormirea Maicii Domnului\\ din Rives Junc-tion, Michigan, fiind ômpreuna¨ cu Pa¨rintele Roman Braga,pa¨rinte spiritual al obsçtii monahale de aici. Sla¨bindu-iputerile, din 2004 s-a retras la Ma[na¨stirea de ca¨luga¨ri||öna¨lòarea Domnului\\ din Detroit, iar ôn ultimii doi ania fost ôngrijit ôntr-un ca¨min de ba¨tra[ni. ön perioada ca[ta stat la Ma[na¨stirea ||öna¨lòarea Domnului\\ se deplasa cuun ca¨rucior electric la sfintele slujbe.

ön anul 2002, ôn ziua Sa¨rba¨torii Sf. Ap. Petru sçi Pavel,cu prilejul ômplinirii a 90 de ani de viaòa¨, fost onorat deca¨tre ôntreg plenul Congresului care i-a ca[ntat ||Multiani traïasca¨!\\ . Atunci ca[nd fraòii clerici sçi-au exprimatuimirea pentru longevitatea Pa¨rinòilor Arhimandriòi FelixDubneac sçi Roman Braga, pa¨rintele Roman a ra¨spuns cuumoru-i caracteristic> ||ne da¨ Dumnezeu ônapoi anii pecare i-am petrecut dincolo ...\\, referindu-se la anii petrecuòiôn temniòele comuniste. Caütat mereu de credinciosçipentru sfatul saü duhovnicesc, Pa¨rintele Felix s-a ônscrisôn categoria aparte a marilor pa¨rinòi spirituali ai ortodoxiei.

Intrat ôn aceasta¨ lume ôn ziua sa¨rba¨toririi Sf. Apostoli

IN MEMORIAM>PARINTELE ARHIMANDRIT FELIX DUBNEAC

Pe Pa¨rintele Felix Dubneacl-am cunoscut din scrierilesale imediat dupa¨ 1989.Aveam sa¨-l cunosc fizic ôn1997, la Vatra, cu prilejulhirotoniei mele ôntru preot.Prima liturghie ca preot amsa¨va [rsit-o la Ma[na ¨stirea||Adormirea MaiciiDomnului\\ din Rives Junc-tion, Michigan ava[nd co-slujitori pe pa¨rintele meutrupesc Preotul Anton Frunza¨sçi pe Prea Cuviosul Pa¨rinteArhimandrit Felix Dubneac,ôn vreme ce Pa¨rintele

Cont. la pag. 24


Ava[nd acum Episcop titular, Exarhatul de Mexico arestatut de episcopie ôn OCA.

Printre cei prezenòi la aceasta sa¨rba¨toare istorica¨ aufost önalt Prea Sfinòitul Arhiepiscop Dmitri al Dallasuluisçi al Episcopiei de Sud, care a slujit ca exarh al Mexiculuimai mulòi ani, precum sçi ca[òva dintre preoòii fondatori aiBisericii Mexicului, printre care P.C. Pr. Ramon Merlossçi Jose Raul Valencia.

Vorbind ôn spaniola¨, Mitropolitul Primat Jonah aexprimat bucuria de a anunòa ridicarea exarhatului lastatut de episcopie, prin aceasta ajuta[nd BisericaMexicului pentru misiunea ôncredinòata¨ de Ma[ntuitorul.La finalul ritualului de ônscaünare, fiecare dintre episcopii

EXARHATUL DE MEXICO öNALTçAT LA

RANGUL DE EPISCOPIEprezenòi au felicitat pe Prea Sfinòitul Episcop Alejo.

ön prezent, Exarhatul de Mexico cuprinde noua¨ parohiisçi misiuni, incluza[nd sçi Catedrala din Mexico City, carese ôngrijesc de ca[teva mii de credinciosçi.

||Este bine sa¨ traïm, sa¨ fim parte sçi sa¨ ajuta¨m lapropa¨sçirea Bisericii Ortodoxe ôn Mexico ôn acest noucapitol al istoriei Ei.\\, a afirmat ipodiacounul AbrahamLabrada, un student teolog mexican care studiaza¨ laSeminarul Sf. Tihon din South Canaan, PA. Corulmisionar al Seminarului a ca[ntat ra¨spunsurile la SlujbaVecerniei de Sa[mba¨ta¨ sçi a ca[ntat ala¨turi de corul Catedraleila Slujba Sf. Liturghii.

||A fost un weekend minunat sçi ôna¨lòa¨tor, sçi noi amfost binecuva[ntaòi sa¨ fim aici,\\ a spus dirijorul corului,Analucia Perdomo, membru al Paohiei Sf. Gheorghedin Pharr, TX. ||ôn cele ca[teva vizite pe care le-am fa¨cutaici de-a lungul anilor, am fost binecuva[ntaòi sa¨ vedemExarhatul de Mexico cresca[nd sçi devenind o eparhie desine sta¨ta¨toare. Este minunat sa¨ fi fost o mica¨ parte aacestor evenimente.\\

ömpreuna¨ cu Prea Ferictul Mitropolit Primat Jonah sçicu önalt Prea Sfinòitul Arhiepiscop Dmitri, au participatla acest ôna¨lòa¨tor eveniment sçi alòi ierarhi ai OCA> önaltPrea Sfinòitul Arhiepiscop Ntahaniel de Detroit sçi alEpiscopiei Roma[ne, önalt Prea Sfinòitul ArhiepiscopSeraphim de Ottawa sçi Canada< Prea Sfinòitul EpiscopTikhon al Philadelphiei sçi Pennsylvaniei de Est< PreaSfinòitul Episcop Benjaminde San Francisco sçi al Vestului.De asemenea un numa¨r impresionant de diaconi, preoòisçi monahi au fost prezenòi la aceasta¨ sa¨rba¨toare.

Articol preluat de pe websiteul OCA (www.oca.org),28 ianuarie 2009

Mexico City, Mexico –Duminica¨, 18 ianuarie2009, Prea FericitulMitropolit Primat Jonah,ômpreuna¨ cu ierarhi aiSfa[ntului Sinod al BisericiiOrtodoxe ôn America(OCA), clerici, monahi sçinenuma¨raòi credinciosçi dinMexico, SUA sçi Canadas-au adunat ôn CatedralaAsencion de Nuestro Se-nor (ôna¨lòarea Domnului)din Mexico City, pentru asa¨rba¨tori ônscaünarea PreaSfinòitului Episcop Alejo(Pacheco-Vera) de MexicoCity, ca Episcop titular alExarhatului de Mexico.

buni de cei raï, cum desparte pa¨storul, ciobanul, oiledintre capre sçi dupa¨ ce va asçeza oile de-a dreapta Sa sçicaprele de-a sta[nga Sa.Va zice celor de-a dreapta sa>||Veniòi binecuva[ntaòii Tata¨lui Meu de mosçteniòi ômpa¨ra¨òiacea ga¨tita¨ voua¨ de la ôntemeierea lumii. Ca¨ci am fostfla¨ma[nd sçi Mi-aòi dat sa¨ ma¨na[nc, am fost ônsetat sçi Mi-aòi dat sa¨ beau, am fost gol sçi M-aòi ômbra¨cat, am foststraïn sçi M-aòi primit, am fost bolnav sçi M-aòi cercetat,am fost ôn temniòa¨ sçi aòi venit la mine\\. Sçi vor ziceatunci drepòii> ||Doamne, cand ai fost asça cum ne spuisçi òi-am slujit òie=\\ Iar el va zice > ||Orica[t aòi fa¨cutacelora mai mici ai Mei fraòi, Mie Mi-aòi fa¨cut.\\(Mt.25,31-40)

Iubiòi credinciosçi,Cu asta Domnul Hristos face o lega¨tura¨ ôntre El sçi

oamenii care au trebuinòa¨ de ajutor. Asça lega¨tura¨ ônca[t,daca¨ vrea cineva sa¨-I slujeasca¨ Domnului Hristos sçi vaajuta pe cei ce au trebuinòa¨ de ajutor, nu numai pe aceeai-a ajutat, ci pe Domnul Hristos ônsusçi.

Hristos este ôn mijlocul nostru sçi printre cei ce autrebuinòa¨ de ajutor, orice fel de ajutor va fi acela. Iar

celor de-a sta[nga le va zice> ||Mergeòi ôn focul cel vesçnic,blestemaòilor, ca¨ci am fost fla¨ma[nd sçi nu Mi -aòi dat sa¨ma¨na[nc, am fost ônsetat sçi nu Mi-aòi dat sa¨ beau, am fostgol sçi nu M-aòi ômbra¨cat, am fost straïn sçi nu M-aòiprimit, am fost bolnav sçi-n ônchisoare sçi nu M-aòi cercetat\\. Sçi aceia ôl vor ôntreba pe Domnul Hristos> ||Doamne,ca[nd le-ai avut pe acestea sçi nu òi-am slujit òie= Iar Elva spune sçi lor> ôntruca[t n-aòi fa¨cut acestor fraòi mai miciai Mei, Mie nu Mi-aòi fa¨cut.\\( Matei 25,41-46).

De aceea, iubiòi credinciosçi, prin cuvintele acesteaDomnul Hristos arata¨ ca¨ binele pe care-l facem areputere mare, ôntruca[t nu e numai un bine pe care-l faciomului, ci sçi un bine pe care-l faci Domnului. Altfelspus, slujind omului, slujim Domnului. Sçi adeva¨rataslujire a Domnului e aceea ca[nd ôi slujim omului, ca[ndôi facem bine omului ôn numele lui Dumnezeu sçi oricebine fa¨cut oamenilor, ôn numele Domnului Hristos, aredreapta sa ra¨spla¨tire.

Sa¨ ne ajute Dumnezeu la toòi sa¨ facem binele, sçi sa¨ra[nduiasca¨ Dumnezeu oameni de bine ôn calea sçi viaòanoastra¨ sçi ôn toata¨ lumea.

Cu pa¨rinteasca¨ binecuva[ntare,+ IRINEU, Episcop Vicar

Cuva[nt de Suflet Cont. de la pag. 18


Cuviosul Serafim de la Sarov s-a na¨scut pe 19 iulie1759 ôn orasçul Kursk din Rusia, primind ôn copila¨rie oputernica¨ educaòie religioasa¨. Fiind copil, s-a ômbolna¨vitgrav, dar a fost vindecat printr-o minune a MaiciiDomnului. La 17 ani intra¨ ôn ma[na¨stirea Sarov undeimpresioneaza¨ pe cei din jur cu intensitatea traïrii salespirituale. Din nou se ômbolnavesçte grav, dar refuzaäjutorul medicilor cera[nd doar sfa[nta ômpa¨rta¨sçanie.Creza[ndu-se ca¨ va muri, i se aduce sfa[nta ômpa¨rta¨sçaniesçi ||Preasfa[nta Maica¨ ôi apa¨ru, ôn mijlocul unei puternicilumini ônsoòita¨ de Sfinòii Apostoli Petru sçi Ioan Teologul.Ara¨ta[ndu-l pe ta[na¨rul novice ea le spuse> ||Acesta estedin neamul nostrum!\\ Puòin dupa¨ aceea s-a ônsa¨na¨tosçitsçi a construit o bolniòa¨ pe locul acelei apariòii minunate.(Vieòile Sfinòilor pe Ianuarie)

Dupa¨ 8 ani de la intrarea ôn ma¨na¨stire, este tunsmonah, apoi, cu aprobarea egumenului se retrage ônsingura¨tate, construindu-sçi o coliba¨ mica¨ ôn pa¨dure undesuporta¨ iernile aspre sçi verile dificile. Trece prin toateôncerca¨rile ca¨luga¨rilor retrasçi ôn pustie, iar ca[nd ra¨zboiulga[ndurilor devine prea greu, se suie pe o sta[nca¨ sçi, ca[ndôn genunchi, ca[nd ôn picioare, sta¨ acolo 1000 de zilerepeta[nd ruga¨ciunea ||Dumnezeule, milostiv fii mie,pa¨ca¨tosului!\\ sçi a iesçit ônvinga¨tor din acest ra¨zboi.

Dupa¨ un timp, nisçte hoòi s-au dus sa¨-l fure, dar nega¨sindnimic de furat s-au supa¨rat raü sçi l-au ba¨tut cumplit, iarsfa[ntul nu a vrut sa¨ loveasca¨ ônapoi pentru a se apa¨ra.Plin de sa[nge sçi cu oase rupte, Serafim a reusçit sa¨ ajunga¨la ma¨na¨stire unde a fost ôngrijit, apoi printr-o alta¨ minunea Maicii Domnului a fost vindecat, ra¨ma[na[nd, totusçi,cocosçat . Dupa¨ vindecare s-a ôntors iara¨sçi la viaòa depustnic lua[nd, ôn plus, ta¨cerea. Timp de 3 ani nu a maivorbit cu nimeni, chiar daca¨, ônta[mpla¨tor, se ônta[lnea cucineva. ösçi ara¨ta respectul faòa¨ de persoana cealalta¨, seônclina ôn semn de salut, dar nu vorbea. Fiind chemat sa¨se ôntoarca¨ ôn ma¨nastire, intra¨ ôntr-o chilie mica¨ ôn carese ônchide (recluziune) sçi continua¨ sa¨ pa¨streze ta¨cerea.ön 1826 Maica Domnului ôl anunòa¨ ca¨ e timpul sa¨vorbeasca¨ sçi sa¨-i ônveòe pe oameni. El era de acum un||...ba¨tra[n mic de statura¨, ônvesçma[ntat ôn alb, ônconvoiatpe toiagul saü, ...plin de har sçi de lumina Sfa[ntului Duh\\(Vieòile Sfinòilor pe Ianuarie) Prin harul primit de laDumnezeu, prin buna¨tatea lui, prin dragostea cu care ôiprimea sçi ôi asculta pe neca¨jiòi, cuviosul Serafim a ôntorsla Dumnezeu pe mulòi pa¨ca¨tosçi, a vindecat suflete sçitrupuri, fiind iubit sçi caütat de mulòime de crediniosçi.

Un om bogat ( Motovilov) l-a ôntrebat odata¨> ||Careeste scopul vieòii cresçtine=\\ Pa¨rintele Serafim i-a ra¨spuns>||Doba[ndirea Sfa[ntului Duh, pe care-L primim daca¨ôndeplinim faptele de sfinòenie cerute de Biserica¨ sçi maiales prin ruga¨ciune.\\ (Vieòile Sfinòilor pe Ianuarie) Apoi,

printr-o minune, l-a fa¨cut pe acesta sa¨ simta¨ pacea,ca¨ldura, bucuria sçi mireasma Sfa[ntului Duh.. Sfatul saüera> ||...ca[sçtiga¨ duhul pa¨cii sçi mii de inimi

Cuviosul Serafim a trecut la Domnul la 1 Ianuarie1833. Chiar dupa¨ moarte, el a fa¨cut multe minuni. A fostcanonizat pe 19 iulie 1903, la acest eveniment venindsute de mii de credinciosçi. ön 1925 moasçtele sale au fostluate de comunisçti sçi nimeni nu a mai sçtiut ce s-a ônta[mplatcu ele pa[na¨ ôn 1991 ca[nd au fost ga¨site ...ôn MuzeulAteismului din Sankt Petersburg! Acum moasçtelecuviosului Serafim de Sarov se afla Ma[na¨stirea Diveevode la[nga¨ Sarov.

Sfa[ntul Serafim de la Sarov se sa¨rba¨toresçte ôn fiecarean pe 2 Ianuarie.öntreba¨ri pentru pa¨rinòi>

- Sfa[ntul Serafim a trecut prin multe ôncerca¨ri, din carecea mai grea lupta¨ a fost ra¨zboiul ga[ndurilor. Oarene-am ga[ndit noi, ôn mod serios, ca[t de periculoasesunt pentru sufletele noastre, ga[ndurile rele pe care leavem= E normal sa¨ ne vina¨ tot felul de ga[nduri, darsçtim noi ca¨ avem datoria sa¨ lupta¨m cu ga[ndurile relesçi sa¨ le gonim din mintea noastra¨= Un ga[nd raü e cao sa¨ma[nòa¨ rea care, daca¨ nu este smulsa¨ la timp,ôncolòesçte, cresçte, umbresçte sçi poate chiar distrugeplantele bune din jurul ei. Ga[ndurile rele sunt ônceputulfaptelor rele. önta[i ne obisçnuim cu ga[ndul, apoi, de laga[nd la fapta¨ drumul e foarte scurt. Am ôntrebat unta[na¨r> ||Ce pa¨rere ai de ra¨zboiul cu ga[ndurile=\\||Ra¨zboiul cu ga[ndurile= s-a mirat el. Ra¨zboiul cuga[ndurile nu exista¨! Avem libertatea sa¨ ga[ndim cevrem!\\ Sa¨rmanul ta[na¨r oare ce fel de ga[nduri areca[nd vede filme cu crime, filme indecente etc= Nicinu ôsçi da¨ seama cum ga[ndurile lui sunt manipulatepentru ca¨ manipularea ga[ndirii oamenilor este la moda¨ôn ziua de azi sçi nu exista¨ film sau ziar care, ôntr-unfel sau altul sa¨ nu ôncerce sa¨ manipuleze ga[ndireamulòimilor. Am ôncercat sa¨-i prega¨tim pe copiii nosçtripentru lupta cu ga[ndurile, care, pentru noi, oameniiobisçnuiòi, dureaza¨ o viaòa¨ ôntreaga¨=

- Sfa[ntul Serafim vorbea despre\\duhul pa¨cii\\. Cred ca¨duhul pa¨cii e cel mai greu lucru de obòinut ôn ziua deazi. Ata[t de abuzat a fost cuva[ntul ||pace\\ (inclusivexpresia ||lupta¨m pentru pace\\) sçi ata[t de folosit decei ce numai pace nu aveau ôn minòile sçi intenòiile lor,ônca[t pentru mulòi din ziua de azi, cuva[ntul sçi-a pierdutadeva¨ratul ônòeles. Dar, sa¨ ne imagina¨m ca¨ traïm ôntr-o lume ôn care ||da\\ este ||da sçi ||nu\\ este ||nu\\. Ca[t defrumos ar suna cuva[ntul ||pace\\ ôn adeva¨ratul luiônòeles! Nu e vorba de un cuva[nt politic, ci de pace,acea pace pe care ôngerii o vestesc ôn noaptea Nasçterii

EDUCAREA CRESçTINA A FAMILIEI

IanuarieCuviosul Serafim de la Sarov

2 Ianuarie

Cont. la pag. 24


Sfa[ntul mucenic Vlasie a traït ôn timpul domniei luiDiocleòian sçi a lui Liciniu, prigonitori ai cresçtinilor.Fiind vremuri grele sçi nesçtiind daca¨ vor putea rezistachinurilor, mulòi cresçtini se ascundeau prin munòi sçipa¨duri prefera[nd sa¨ duca¨ o viaòa¨ aspra¨, dar liberi sa¨-sçipa¨streze credinòa. Sfa[ntul Vlasie s-a dus ôn munteleArghos, ôntr-o pesçtera¨ unde ducea viaòa¨ de pustnic, ônpost sçi ruga¨ciune. Sçi animalele sa¨lbatice veneau la da[nsul,asçtepta[nd ma[ncare, binecuva[ntare sçi vindecare de boli.Dar dupa¨ un timp, soldaòii, caüta[nd animale sa¨lbaticepentru a fi puse sa¨-i ma¨na[nce pe cresçtinii osa[ndiòi, auva¨zut animalele stra[nse la[nga¨ pesçtera sfa[ntului Vlasie sçiasça l-au aflat pe da[nsul, ruga[ndu-se. Ighemonul Agricolaa dat ordin ca Vlasie sa¨ fie adus ôn Sevastia. Pe drumulspre Sevastia, Vlasie a convertit la Dumnezeu mulòioameni sçi a fa¨cut multe minuni. A vindecat pe fiul uneifemei, care era pe moarte, ava[nd un os de pesçte blocatôn ga[t. Unei femei vaduve, sarace, lupul i-a furat purcelusçulsçi femeia pla[ngea. Sfa[ntul i-a spus sa¨ se aline ca¨ lupulôi va aduce purcelusçul ônapoi. Sçi ôntr-adeva¨r, lupul s-aôntors, a adus ônapoi purcelusçul viu sçi ôntreg sçi apoi aplecat de unde venise.

Pentru ca¨ Vlasie a refuzat sa¨ aduca¨ jertfa¨ zeilor a fostba¨tut ôngrozitor, apoi a fost aruncat in pusçca¨rie. Atunci,va¨duvei cu purcelusçul i s-a fa¨cut mila¨ de da[nsul, a taïatpurcelusçul, a fa¨cut o ma[ncare sçi i-a dus sfa[ntului ôntemniòa¨. Sfa[ntul i-a spus> ||O, femeie, ôn acest chip sa¨sa¨va[rsçesçti pomenirea mea ôn toòi anii, ca¨ nu va lipsi ôncasa ta nimic din cele trebuitoare. Sçi altcineva de se vaasema¨na òie sçi de va sa¨va[rsçi pomenirea mea, acela se vaumple de darurile lui Dumnezeu sçi binecuva[ntat va fi ôntoate zilele vieòii sale.\\ (Vieòile Sfinòilor pe Februarie)Sfa[ntul Vlasie a fost iar supus la chinuri grele apoiaruncat din nou ôn temniòa¨. Sçi ôn drum spre temniòa¨curgea sa[nge din ra¨nile lui sçi 7 femei credincioasestra[ngeau acest sa[nge. Arestate sçi ele pentru ca¨ suntcresçtine au spus ca¨ vor jertfi zeilor, dar ônta[i trebuie sa¨se cura¨òeasca¨. Sçi ajunga[nd la apa unde trebuiau sa¨ secura¨òeasca¨ au aruncat statuile zeilor ôn ada[nc spuna[ndca¨ daca¨ erau zei adeva¨raòi nu s-ar fi ônnecat, sçi dacaäcesçti zei nu se pot salva pe ei ônsçisçi nu vor putea sa¨-isalveze nici pe oameni. Pentru ôndra¨zneala lor femeileau fost puse ôntr-un cuptor ôncins, dar nu au pa¨òit nici unraü. Atunci chinuitorul a dat ordin sa¨ fie ucise printaïerea capului. Una din femei avea 2 copii care au cerutsa¨ fie la¨saòi ôn grija Sfa[ntului Vlasie. Sfa[ntul Vlasie afost dat din nou pe ma[na chinuitorilor sçi pentru ca¨ ara¨mas statornic ôn credinòa sa a fost condamnat la moarteprin ônnecare. Ajuns la apa unde trebuia sa¨ fie ônnecat,sfa[ntul Vlasie a fa¨cut semnul crucii deasupra apei sçi amers pe apa¨ ca sçi pe pa¨ma[nt treca[nd pe malul cela¨lalt.

Apoi le-a spus soldaòilor ca¨ daca¨ au zei ata[t de puternicisa¨ mearga¨ sçi ei pe apa¨. Creza[nd ôn zeii lor, 68 de ba¨rbaòis-au ônnecat ôncerca[nd sa¨ mearga¨ pe apa¨. Iar ôngerulDomnului i s-a ara¨tat lui Vlasie spuna[ndu-i ca¨ e vremeasa¨ primeasca¨ ôncununarea ca mucenic. Deci Vlasie s-aôntors ônapoi, la soldaòi. önainte de a muri, Vlasie s-arugat ca acei ce ||... vor voi sa¨ sa¨va[rsçeasca¨ pomenirealui, ... sa¨ nu se apropie de ei nici o boala¨, iar casele lorsa¨ se umple de toate buna¨ta¨òile, apoi ruga¨ciunile lor sa¨fie auzite pentru toate nevoile.\\ (Vieòile Sfinòilor peFebruarie). Sfa[ntului Vlasie i s-a taïat capul, iar cei 2copii au fost sçi ei ucisçi tot prin taïerea capului.

Sfa[ntul mucenic Vlasie, episcopul Sevastiei sçi ceiômpreuna¨ cu da[nsul se sa¨rba¨toresc ôn fiecare an pe 11Februarie.öntreba¨ri pentru pa¨rinòi>

- Va¨ mai amintiòi expresia roma[neasca¨> ||Dar din dar seface rai\\= Nu prea ônòelegeam asta ca[nd eram mica¨,dar sa¨ ne ga[ndim un pic> Sfa[ntului Vlasie i-a fostmila¨ de va¨duva sa¨raca¨ sçi a fa¨cut ca lupul sa¨-i aduca¨purcelusçul ônapoi. La ra[ndul ei, va¨duvei i-a fost mila¨de Sfa[ntul Vlasie sçi, de asemenea, ôi era recunosca¨toare.Atunci, din toata¨ sa¨ra¨cia ei, a taïat purcelusçul sçi i-adus ma[ncare Sfa[ntului Vlasie. Sfa[ntului Vlasie i-afost mila¨ de va¨duva¨, fiindu-i sçi recunosca¨tor deci s-a rugat lui Dumnezeu ca va¨duvei sa¨ nu-i lipseasca¨nimic din cele necesare. Exista¨ ceva mai frumos deca[taceasta¨ iubire de aproape ôn care un neca¨jit ôncearca¨sa¨-l ajute pe alt neca¨jit= Nu cumva acesta este drumulspre rai, ca[nd din puòinul pe care l-am primit ôn dar,da¨m sçi noi altuia, ôn dar=

- Sfa[ntul Vlasie a avut mila¨, va¨duva a avut mila¨, darnoi avem mila¨= ôi ônva¨òa¨m pe copiii nosçtri sa¨ aiba¨mila¨= ômi spunea o fetiòa¨ ca¨ pa¨rinòii ei s-au dus laFood Bank sçi ca¨ raòia de oua¨ pentru o familie este de3. ||3 oua¨ pe sa¨pta¨ma[na¨= am ôntrebat. ||Nu, 3 oua¨ peluna¨!\\ mi-a ra¨spuns copila. Am fost sçocata¨. Cum eposibil= Apoi am citit ôn ziar ca¨ din cauza crizeieconomice a crescut numa¨rul celor ce apeleaza¨ laFood Bank pentru a-sçi hra¨ni familia sçi a sca¨zut numa¨rulcelor care doneaza¨. Oare nu este datoria cresçtina¨ anoastra¨, a tuturor celor ce avem pa[ine pe masa¨ sa¨-iajuta¨m sçi pe cei ce nu au= Un domn de la bisericanoastra¨ mi-a spus> ||Am vorbit cu soòia sçi am hota¨ra[tca de ca[te ori facem cumpa¨ra¨turi pentru noi sa¨cumpa¨ra¨m ceva sçi pentru Food Bank. Nu sa¨ra¨cim dinasta! E ca sçi cum am invita un sa¨rac la masa¨. Precizezca¨ ôn unele magazine se afla¨ cutii unde se pun donaòiilepentru Food Bank, aceste alimente fiind ulterior dategratuit la sa¨raci. Daca¨ nu ga¨siòi aceste cutii vorbiòi cu

EDUCAREA CRESçTINA A FAMILIEI

FebruarieSfa[ntul mucenic Vlasie, Episcopul Sevastiei

11 Februarie

Cont. la pag. 24


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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTEDDomnului> ||Ma¨rire ôntru cei de sus lui Dumnezeu sçipe pa¨ma[nt pace, ôntre oameni> buna¨voire\\ (Luca 2,14). Le-am vorbit noi copiilor nosçtri despre acest||duh al pa¨ciii\\= E adeva¨rat, copiii se mai ha[rjonescôntre ei, ôsçi mai spun vorbe ura[te, dar de obicei nupoarta¨ ura¨> acum se bat, acum sunt cei mai buniprieteni. Oare copiii nosçtri nu ar ra¨ma[ne mult maicuraòi sufletesçte daca¨ noi nu i-am ônva¨òa gelozia(||Johnny are note mai bune deca[t tine\\, ||Mikepatineaza¨ mai bine\\,etc), daca¨ nu i-am ônva¨òa ma[ndria(||o sa¨-òi cumpa¨r o rochie mai frumoasa¨ ca a vecinei\\,||tu ai haina¨ mai scumpa¨\\ etc), daca¨ noi nu i-amônva¨òa sa¨ se ra¨zbune (||cum, el òi-a spus o vorba¨ ura[ta¨sçi tu ai ta¨cut ôn loc sa¨-i zici alte 10 vorbe ura[te

preotul bisericii, poate se pot duce ônta[i la biserica¨ sçide aici la Food Bank. Simòim cu toòii aceasta criza¨economica¨, dar le-am explicat copiilor nosçtri ca¨ alòiio duc mult mai greu deca[t ei= Daca¨ sçtim cazuri grave,am ôncercat sa¨ facem un grup de urgenòa¨ pentru ajutareacelor aflaòi la necaz=

- Nu cumva avem o ||memorie selectiva¨\\ ôn sensul ca¨uita¨m cu desa¨va[rsçiri faptele bune pe care ni le-aufa¨cut semenii, dar òinem minte pe toòi cei ce ne-augresçit sçi sçtim precis, cu lux de ama¨nunte gresçelilelor= Nu ar fi oare mai bine sa¨ ierta¨m sçi sa¨ uita¨mlucrurile rele sçi sa¨ òinem minte, cu dragoste, lucrurilebune= ömi povestea o femeie> ||Soòul meu a fost foartebolnav sçi a fost operat ôn alt orasç. Ca[nd sa¨-i deadrumul am rugat pe cineva sa¨ ne ia, sa¨ ne duca¨ acasa¨.Trebuia sa¨ pleca¨m la 9 dimineaòa, i-au dat drumulabia la 4 dupa¨ masa¨, Eram obosiòi, nervosçi, speriaòica¨ci nu sçtiam cum o sa¨ ne descurca¨m cu tratamentul,nu sçtiam cum o sa¨ reziste doua¨ ore pe drum ca¨ci maiavea ônca¨ dureri. Prietenii nosçtri ne-au asçteptat cura¨bdare, au adus o perna¨ sa¨ mai amortizeze dinzdruncina¨turile masçini sçi, imagineaza¨-òi> ne-au adussçi ma[ncare ga¨tita¨! A fost cea mai buna¨ ma[ncare dinviaòa mea! Lipsisem ca[teva zile de acasa¨, nu fa¨cusemcumpa¨ra¨turi, trebuia sa¨ contactez sora locala¨, eramobosita¨, stresata¨, nu asç fi putut sa¨ ga¨tesc. Dumnezeusa¨ le dea sa¨na¨tate, ma[ncarea aceea a venit ata[ta debine atunci! Fapta lor o sa¨ o òin minte toata¨ viaòa!\\Ne-am mai amintit noi vreodata¨ de oamenii care ne-au ajutat= Ne-am rugat pentru ei= I-am ônva¨òat pecopiii nosçtri sa¨ se roage pentru cei ce i-au ajutat=Fie ca Dumnezeu sa¨ ne ajute sa¨ fim buni unii faòa¨ de

alòii sçi sa¨ ne ajute sa¨ ne ruga¨m pentru cei ce au fost bunicu noi.

Maica Preoteasa¨

Educarea Cresçtina¨ a Familiei— Ianuarie —

Cont. de la pag. 23

Educarea Cresçtina¨ a Familiei— Februarie —

Cont. de la pag. 24

ônapoi=\\ , ||cum, el òi-a dat un pumn sçi apoi v-aòiômpa¨cat fa¨ra¨ ca sa¨-i dai sçi tu ca[teva lovituri bune=\\),daca¨ nu i-am ônva¨òa sa¨ ba[rfeasca¨ (||ai va¨zut ce rochiescurta¨ avea Coana Maria=\\, ||ai auzit ce fals ca[ntaba¨rbatul a¨la de la cor=\\). Oare nu ar trebui sa¨ nega[ndim un pic mai mult, sçi discuta[nd cu copii nosçtrisa¨ ôncerca¨m sa¨ ga¨sim soluòii de a deveni iubitori depace sçi chiar fa¨ca¨tori de pace= Oare nu ar trebui, ca[ndne spunem ruga¨ciunea, sa¨-L ruga¨m pe Dumnezeu sa¨ne ajute sa¨ ca¨pa¨ta¨m duhul pa¨cii= Dar, oare, pentru aobòine aceasta¨ pace nu trebuie sa¨ ôncepem prin aaduce pace ôn ga[ndurile noastre= Sçi cum putem obòineaceasta¨ pace a ga[ndurilor daca¨ nu ne ruga¨m=Haideòi sa¨ ôncepem prin a ne ruga puòin mai mult sçi

Dumnezeu o sa¨ ne ajute!Maica Preoteasa¨

Petru sçi Pavel, 29 iunie 1912, s-a mutat la Domnul ônziua sa¨rba¨toririi Nasçterii Ma[ntuitorului la 25 decembrie2008. A treia zi de Cra¨ciun, pe 27 decembrie, a fostprohodit de un sobor de clerici ôn frunte cu Prea SfinòitulEpiscop Vicar Irineu la Ma[na¨stirea ||öna¨lòarea Domnului\\sçi a fost ônmorma[ntat ôn Cimitirul de la Vatra.

Viaòa sa s-a identificat cu viaòa monahala¨.Ra¨bdarea, buna¨tatea, generozitatea, ascultarea,

ônfra[narea, sa¨ra¨cia, viaòa de ruga¨ciune sçi de privaòiunialca¨tuiesc chipul unui ca¨luga¨r.

Acesta a fost chipul Pa¨rintelui Arhimandrit FelixDubneac.

Dumnezeu sa¨-l ierte sçi sa¨-l odihneasca¨ cu sfinòii ônômpa¨ra¨òia Sa!

Vesçnica lui pomenire!Pr. Anton Frunza¨

In MemoriamCont. de la pag. 20

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