On Saturday, May 21, the Orthodox community in Caracas, Venezuela, celebrated its patron saints, the Holy Emperors and equal to the apostles Constantine and Helen. On behalf of our Metropolia, V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Ene, Eparchial Secretary and Dean of New York, New England and the Eastern USA, was delegated as a representative of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae.
The church, prepared for the feast, transported one’s mind to the Maramures region, surrounded by greenery; only the church songs alternating between the Romanian language and the Spanish one reminded us that we are in fact in a destabilized country, Venezuela.
On Saturday, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated; among the concelebrating clergy were Fr. Evanghelos, the priest of the Greek community in Venezuela, Fr. Nicolas, the priest of the Antiochian community, Fr. Daniel Ene; over 100 participants were in attendance, in an atmosphere of prayer and joy.
The Divine Liturgy was followed by an agape meal of solidarity, an initiative belonging to Fr. Antonio Garcia with the support of various donors from the parishes of our Metropolia, which provides a weekly hot meal to those affected by poverty and deprivation.
The General Assembly of the parish was held on Sunday, chaired by V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Ene. The new parish council was elected and discussions were held on the restoration of the roof of the church, severely affected by rainwater and weather, welcoming the presence of the representative of Gerencias de Aduana (Customs Administration) who will support the start of work to restore the roof of the church with important materials from the USA.
The Maramures Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Caracas was built in 1998 with the funds of the Romanian community in Caracas and the support of the Romanian Patriarchate and consecrated by the ever-memorable Patriarch Teoctist in November 1999. At the Church in Caracas, services are held every Sunday and on the occasion of feasts, celebrated by Fr. Antonio Garcia, a priest of Venezuelan origin, who is a member of the clergy of our Metropolia.
Written by
V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Ene
