The parishioners of the Annunciation Cathedral enjoyed God’s blessing this year to celebrate another year of salvation, reaching the 87th anniversary. Since no anniversary can be complete without the presence of our Archpastor, His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Nicolae, this year we enjoyed the warm presence of His Eminence. As always, through his words, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae gave us courage, strength, and the will to fight spiritually in this world that is increasingly marked by the spirit of secularism. This year's anniversary took place on Sunday, August 27th, 2023 and began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, followed by an address by His Eminence:
"Today's Holy Gospel urges us to ask ourselves the same questions, whether or not we seek perfection. This question is not an optional one in the life of a true Christian. Christ tells us: 'Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48). Christ came to give us the chance to be perfect, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. To accomplish this, we must identify the problem of our lives. If we were asked to leave wealth, or to leave a certain attachment to a thing in this world, and follow Christ, what would be our response? Would we be able to leave all and follow Christ? The apostles did. When they were called, they left their families, left their homes, and became followers of Christ. Christ entrusts them to Christ: "you who have followed me, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory at the renewal of the world, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 5:48). We all wonder what will happen at the judgment; if we hear the call to be disciples of Christ, do we leave everything and follow Him?”
The Tedeum service at the beginning of the new school year followed, after which two of our good parishioners, Teodor and Sorina Stroie, were honored by His Eminence with the American Metropolitan Cross for all their love, service and hard work in our church over 37 years. The celebration ended with an agape meal at which we remembered Romanian culinary traditions and customs.
We thank God for all his gifts to our church, we thank His Eminence Nicolae for the fatherly care he shows us every time, we thank the parishioners for their prayer, love and sacrifice to the Church of Christ and we hope in the mercy of God for many more fruitful years of work in the way of God for the salvation of us all.
Fr. Petru Neaga
Olmsted Twp, OH,
August 27, 2023.
