On Sunday, October 22, 2023, at the closing of the Deanery meeting, the faithful of St. Gregory the Theologian parish gathered in large numbers for the Hierarchical Liturgy. After Communion, the sermon of Metropolitan Nicolae, delivered with a high level of linguistic expression, underlined the importance of witnessing our faith:
We understood the work of God in today's Holy Gospel: He had come to save the lost, the one with a darkened face. God has come to save each one of us, God is ready to come and save us from any hurtful situation, even if we imagine that we are far away and lost from the face of God. God can come in any circumstance, no matter how tragic. And then, if God came and saved us, healed us, blessed us, it behooves us to bear witness, to be apostles of God's work. Our encounter with God, the healing he brings us, must not remain unknown.
Our meeting with God takes place here in the church, at every Divine Liturgy, at every holy service, this meeting must not remain unknown, we must go into the world and confess the Christ we have met, the Christ which was offered to us in the word, in the word of the Holy Gospel and in the Holy Mysteries, in Communion with His Body and Blood...
Meeting God we become grateful for His love and healing, then confessors. The mission of a parish refers to exactly this: to meet God and confess Him. Confession cannot be left aside, for it leads to forgetfulness and ingratitude, and Christian confession in our world is all the more important as we see how far every moment the world is moving further and further away from God.
The culmination of the events of Sunday, October 22, came at the end of the Divine Liturgy, when Fr. David Hudson, inaugurating his retirement, was awarded the American Metropolitan Cross by Metropolitan Nicolae, as a sign of esteem and gratitude for his years of service, followed by the installation of the new parish priest, Fr. Bogdan Cojoleanca. His Eminence offered the new pastor the following for his flock: the Holy Gospel, symbol of the Word of God; the Holy Cross, symbol of the sacrifice of Christ for us, and the Key to the Church, symbolizing the opening of the doors of our souls unto salvation.
Father Bogdan Cojoleancă served several positions in the Archdiocese of Suceava: director of the Inclusive Education School "Saint Andrei" from Gura Humorului, director of the Theological High School "Saint Metropolitan Dosoftei" from Suceava, parish priest of „Saint Great Martyr Minas” Church from Gura Humorului.
The verses of the poet, Lenuța Neacșu, fit like a glove in this moment of great emotion and meaning, both for Metropolitan Nicolae and for Fr. Bogdan Cojoleanca:
“Today I put the name of the Lord upon you
And may divine grace be multiplied to you.
May you be victorious in the times that are coming,
And in the path of the storm may you remain unmoved.
May a heavenly wall surround you
And may a protecting shield guard you always.
May you always fly the flag of faith
And speak to everyone of your God!”
We give glory to God for all the gifts we have received, and our thanks to St. Gregory, who intercedes for us!
Written by Mihaela Livingston
