With the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ and the protection of the Mother of God, the Mission of Holy Brancoveanu Martyrs in Fairfield, Connecticut celebrated its feast day on Saturday and Sunday, August 18-19, 2018, in the presence of HE Metropolitan Nicolae.

On Saturday evening, the Vespers service was performed by several priests under the direction of HE Nicolae. Father Marius Lazar, parish priest, Fr. Marius Dumitrescu from St. Nicholas parish in New York, Fr. Ionuţ Voicu from Life Giving Fountain parish of Long Valley, NJ, and Fr. Daniel Moldovan from the Transfiguration of the Lord parish of Manchester, CT (ROEA). HE Metropolitan Nicolae spoke to the faithful about the importance of the printing work of St. Constantin Brancoveanu for the promotion of the Romanian liturgical language by printing the first complete edition of the Holy Scripture in Romanian and several books of worship.

The Feast of the Mission continued on Sunday with the Divine Liturgy officiated by HE Nicolae, Fr. Marius Lazar and Protosynghellos Vincenţiu Temirov from St. Dimitrios the New Monastery, Middletown, NY. The church was filled with faithful who, even far from the country they were born, strive to preserve the Orthodox faith and follow the example of Christian witness and sacrifice of the Brancoveanu Martyrs. The answers to the Divine Liturgy were given by the beautiful chorus formed by the faithful of the Mission led by Mrs. Iuliana Roata. We had the joy of having in our midst the Consul General of Romania in New York, Mr. Cătălin Dancu, and Mrs. Dana Bucin, Honorary Consul of Romania in Connecticut.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, HE Metropolitan Nicolae explained the Gospel of the 12th Sunday after Pentecost about the right choice we must make in order to enter the Kingdom of God, namely to follow Christ, not the world. Then he spoke of St. Constantine's mission and martyrdom, along with his four sons, Constantine, Stephen, Radu, Matthew, and Counselor Ianache. Metropolitan Nicolae urged the believers to be confessors of the Orthodox faith on American soil, demanding the protection of the Holy Martyrs Brancoveanu.

Father Mihai Lazar was officially installed as a parish priest, Metropolitan Nicolae handing him the Holy Gospel, the holy cross and the keys of the church. HE Nicolae urged the priest to take responsibility for the new mission, and the believers to help him and work together for the good cause of the mission.

This blessed day ended with a fraternal meal organized in the social hall of the church by the ladies of the Mission. As a welcome sign, the priest’s wife received a bouquet of flowers and Father Marius a birthday cake.

For all these joys, we thank all those who participated and organized the feats day of the Mission of Holy Martyrs Brancoveanu, praying to the Good God to bless and protect them!

Father Marius Lazar