On May 18, 2025, under God's blessing and in the spirit of Romanian Orthodox tradition, the community in Caracas solemnly celebrated the patronal feast of the Maramureșean Orthodox Church, dedicated to the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperors Constantine and his mother Helen.
This church, built in the traditional Maramureș wooden style, with a Romanian soul and spiritual foundation, is a sacred gift offered and consecrated personally by the late His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist, a wise shepherd of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Today, it stands as a living emblem of Romanian Orthodox faith in the capital of Venezuela—a holy altar of prayer and witness in this far-off part of the world, where the Romanian cross has taken deep root in the hearts of the faithful.
The Holy and Divine Liturgy was celebrated with great solemnity on this festive day, gathering the entire faithful community in prayer. During the celebration, several members of the parish were honored with gratitude for their sacrificial service in church life, bearing living witness to the love of Christ in action and the call to serve one's neighbor.
A particularly moving spiritual moment was the honoring of Preoteasa Fanny Garcia, the tireless support of the parish priest and a warm heart of the community. With discretion, gentleness, and a heart full of prayer, Preoteasa Fanny has worked with strength and devotion within the parish, supporting those in need, strengthening souls, and offering a living example of silent and humble service.
As a sign of love and care for the good order of community life, at the end of the service, the new parish sanitary facilities were blessed and inaugurated—built through the sacrifice and generosity of the faithful. More than just a practical improvement, this project speaks of the working love that dwells in the heart of the Orthodox community.
This feast day reminds us that Christ is in our midst, and that through the sign of the Holy Cross—as revealed to Saint Constantine—we overcome all the temptations of the world. The call of the parish’s holy patrons urges us to remain steadfast in the true faith, in fraternal love, and in the hope of salvation.
May we stay rooted in the Tradition of the Church, keep the light of faith alive from generation to generation, and strive through our lives to glorify God and become worthy sons and daughters of Holy Orthodoxy.
Father Antonio Garcia
