The last days of January were an occasion of great joy and blessing for Romanians living in Central and Western New York state. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae visited the faithful of the Holy Trinity Parish in Rochester, NY and of the Mission dedicated to the Holy Three Hierarchs in Syracuse, NY.
Saturday, January 30, 2021, the day of celebration of the Holy Three Hierarchs, began with the Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Nicolae for the Romanian community in Syracuse, NY, who celebrated their patron saints in the Greek Cathedral of St. Sophia, host for many years of the Romanian Mission. Along with His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae served Archpriest Daniel Ene, the spiritual father of the Romanians in this part of America for more than 19 years, Father David Smith, the parish priest of the Greek Church of St. Sophia in Syracuse, and Father Stefan Dragoi, parish priest of St. Mary's Church in Norfolk, VA. The answers to the Divine Liturgy were given by the protopsalt Leonard Milea from New Jersey and Constantin Claudiu Bărdăzău, the cantor of Holy Trinity church of Rochester, NY.
In his sermon, His Eminence Nicolae emphasized the model of the Holy Three Hierarchs and gave a message of encouragement, saying: “We are living again difficult times with restrictions, but we must remember that right now we, Christians, should be the light of the world. Christians should be those with strong faith, those who show hope that everything will be according to God's will. We have to find solutions, and fear is not one of them, therefore we need repentance and much prayer.”
Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, the fraternal meal organized by the Ladies Auxiliary of Syracuse followed, maintaining the measures and restrictions imposed by the state authorities.
In the afternoon of the same day, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae together with Archpriest Father Daniel Ene prayed in the Romanian Church Cemetery of Rochester where most of the Romanians who passed to the Lord in Western New York rest, many of them founders and benefactors of the church dedicated to the Holy Trinity and the Holy Empress Theodora of Rochester/Victor NY. The year 2021 in the Romanian Patriarchate is “The commemorative year of those asleep in the Lord; the liturgical and cultural value of cemeteries." The cold and the snowstorm did not deter His Eminence from praying for the souls of those asleep.
The 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, January 31, 2021, was an occasion for prayer and hierarchical service for the Romanian faithful of the city of the image, Rochester, NY. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with the parish priest, Daniel Ene, Diocesan Secretary and Dean of New York, New England, and the Eastern USA of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, and with Father Ștefan Drăgoi, parish priest of St. Mary's Church in Norfolk, VA. The Memorial Service was also served for the founders and benefactors of the Church passed to the Lord, but also for the worthy Metropolitan Bartolomeu, ten years after his passing to eternity. His Eminence emphasized the sacred duty we have for the remembrance of those who fell asleep in the Lord and especially for His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Bartolomeu who worked hard in the pastoral work of our Metropolia between 1965-1976.
New York State has been and still is hard hit by this pandemic and the rules and restrictions have been among the strictest in organizing public events. However, the presence of the faithful was a great joy even in proportion of only 25% of the capacity of the church or having the obligation to wear a mask.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Father Daniel Ene offered to His Eminence the Metropolitan, as a sign of gratitude for all his care, an icon with a special significance for this year also dedicated to the pastoral care of Romanians in the diaspora. The icon represents the "Mother of God of Guadalupe - Patroness of unborn children" which is a missionary Icon of the Blessed Virgin, also known as "Icon of the Mother of God of Guadalupe", revered and protector of the Americas. Miraculously appeared on the garment (Tilma) of an Aztec Indian convert to Christianity, Juan Diego, in Guadalupe, Mexico, in 1531, the image of the Blessed Virgin carrying the Savior Jesus Christ in His womb became known and revered not only by the inhabitants of Mexico, but of the whole Christian world. One of the traditions related to the Icon of Guadalupe is that pregnant women or mothers who have just given birth come to worship and present their babies to the Blessed Virgin, offering protection to the one who received and bore the Son of God. in her womb.
The icon keeps in the center this image of the Mother of God together with the images of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen, the protectors of our Metropolia, along with St. George the Pilgrim and St. Raphael of Brooklyn, the protectors of the New York, New England and the Eastern USA Deanery.
The day ended with a fraternal meal organized in honor of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae in the social hall of the church. It was the first time that such an event could be organized for more than a year. However, everything was prepared while maintaining the safety measures provided by state legislation.
There were moments of blessing for the Romanians of the Central and Western New York State, which can only be images of the hope that through brotherly love and prayer we will be able to get out of this pandemic as soon as possible.
Dean Daniel Ene
Rochester / Victor NY
