The 14th and 15th of September 2024 have been days of great celebration for the Orthodox community in the capital city of Ecuador. The only canonical Orthodox church in Quito is under the protection of Saint Hierarch Joseph of Partoș. This was the second patronal feast of the young church, and it was a true blessing.
On Saturday, September 14th, after lunchtime, volunteers from the church's monthly project "Alimentos de Amor" went to distribute over 90 lunches to vulnerable elderly people in the Puembo area, south of Quito, in the Mangaguanta village. In the Mangaguanta, there are people with limited economic resources, and poverty stands in stark contrast to the opulence of other parts of the city. On this occasion, Mr. Gabriel Shehade explained to all those present about the Orthodox Church and about Romania. The project was made possible through the financial support received from Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, USA, which supports this initiative.
By the grace of God, at the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross and on the Eve of the Patronal Feast in honor of Saint Joseph of Partoș, the Silva Portilla family was received into the Orthodox Church through Holy Baptism. The family consists of: Juan Gabriel, 44 years old, an agronomist and expert in climate change and sustainable soil management, working for the United Nations FAO; Yadira Carolina, 38 years old, a homemaker and National Tourist Guide; Natasha Micaela, 15 years old; Luccas Emiliano, 9 years old; and Thomas Bartolomé, 6 years old. The baptism took place at the Chirapí River, where they all received, in addition to the gift of Holy Baptism and the Holy Mystery of Chrismation, the richness and authenticity of Christianity, rooted in the Apostolic Tradition and the Holy Fathers.
Father Esteban Diaz, from the Church of St. John the New Martyr of Wallachia in Barranquilla, Colombia, served with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae on both the 14th and the 15th for the feast day celebrations. On Saturday evening, starting at 7:00 PM, Father Esteban officiated the Akathist service of St. Joseph of Partoș and afterwards gave a catechetical homily to those present.
On Sunday, September 15th, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Catholic Chapel of San Pedro de Chiche, at the request of some Orthodox faithful living nearby. Approximately 60 people attended this Divine Liturgy, including more than 15 non-Orthodox locals who had participated the day before in the "Alimentos de Amor" social project.
After the Divine Liturgy for the church’s feast day, a feast (agape) was organized with traditional Romanian food. The first patronal feast was celebrated in 2023 when Father Daniel Ene, our administrator, was with us. However, due to health reasons, he could not be present this year. At that time, the agape featured Ecuadorian food. This time, three of the community’s housewives prepared the well-known Romanian dish “sarmale” for all those present. The preparation was done by Andrada Poliana, Diana Ramos, and Gladys Llama—one Romanian and two Ecuadorians.
These were days of true blessing, and we thank the Good Lord and Saint Hierarch Joseph of Partoș for them.
Juan Xavier
