On October 22-24, 2022, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae went on a pastoral visit to the parish of Holy Protection of the Mother of God in Houston, Texas. After arriving at the airport, His Eminence visited St. Constantine School, together with Father Iulian Anitei and Mr. Dan Stan. The school is under the jurisdiction of the Antiochian Archdiocese of the USA and offers education from Kindergarten to College. The purpose of the visit was to understand the process of organizing a school under the patronage of the Orthodox Church, as well as the challenges of such a ministry. His Eminence met with school president Dr. John Mark Reynolds. In addition to his position as leader of this institution, and a member of the board of directors of the Orthodox Christian School Association of America, Dr. Reynolds also serves as a professor at St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York. He explained in detail the difficulties and risks those involved in such a project face. America needs such schools, and such projects are feasible and a blessing for the younger generation.
After the visit of this school, His Eminence went to the church of the Holy Protection. Here, the faithful of our parish welcomed His Eminence according to tradition, with bread, salt, and much joy. Following the reception, His Eminence joined a parish council meeting, where each council member briefed him on the good standing of the parish, on its pastoral, educational, cultural, and social activities. In addition, the council discussed the project of the future church building.
At the appropriate time in the evening, His Eminence celebrated Vespers and Lithia, along with Fathers Iulian Anitei, Ionut Voicu from the Life Giving Fountain Parish in Long Valley, New Jersey, and Gabriel Ilies, from St. Mary's Parish in Austin, Texas, offering prayers of praise and thanksgiving to the good Lord for the blessings received. After the blessing of the bread, wine, grain, and oil, His Eminence read the prayer of elevating Father Gabriel Ilies as a spiritual confessor. At the end, His Eminence explained what happens when a priest is given the power to bind and loose sins.
With His pastoral visit, His Eminence, brought the holy relics of Sts Brancoveanu Martyrs, and spoke at length about the life and martyrdom of the Brancoveanu family. The evening ended with the traditional agape meal.
The next day, Sunday morning, the faithful of the parish, as well as by the priests present, welcomed His Eminence according to tradition, with the Holy Gospel and the Holy Cross. At the end of the Eucharist, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae celebrated the service of the blessing of water, read the prayer for blessing the faithful and read the prayers for the reader and subdeacon of Mr. Dan Stan. Towards the end of the Divine Liturgy, at the appropriate time, Subdeacon Dan Stan was called to the rank of deaconate. Subdeacon Dan Stan's ordination as a Deacon was an emotional moment, as it was also the first ordination at the Holy Protection of the Mother of God Parish in Houston.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence gave a profound word on the content of the Holy Gospel:
God did not let this man remain in such a powerless state; instead, God Himself came to save him. Christ did not go by chance to the lands of the Gerasenes, but He came on purpose to heal this man tormented by the power of the evil one. The evil one immediately felt the power of God and asked Jesus for permission to enter the herd of swine. Then the miracle happened: the man whose mind had been troubled and whose face had been darkened regained his human image. When the inhabitants of the city came to see what had happened, they found him clothed and sitting at the feet of our Lord. Instead of being the distant one, or the one who had been almost lost, he was now found, with an enlightened human face, and a disciple of our Lord...
God came to save each of us. God is ready to come and save us from any harmful situation, even if we think that we are far away and lost from the face of God. God can come under any circumstance, no matter how tragic it may be. And then, if God came and saved us, healed us, and blessed us, it is proper for us to confess Him, to be apostles of God’s work. Our encounter with God, the healing He brings to us, must not remain unknown.
The presence of a deacon is a blessing to this community and an additional help in pastoral missionary work. After the Divine Liturgy followed the traditional agape meal. The ladies of our community prepared delicious dishes for all present.
The 23rd Sunday after Pentecost was a time of celebration with the presence and ministry of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae. The faithful of our Holy Protection of the Mother of God Parish in Houston, Texas will surely remember this joy and communion of Christian love.
Rev. Fr. Iulian Aniței
