Sermon on the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (of the Romanian’s Saints) [2012]
My Beloved,
For Romanian Orthodox Church today is a day of great celebration. Because, today, we honor the Romanian Saints of all centuries…among which only very few are canonized.
And we have here the list of those canonized…recently canonized…in the twentieth century and in the few years of the present century.
But our Church has apostolic origin…because it is based on the preaching of Saint Apostle Andrew. And our first Martyrs are from the first Christian centuries…the ecclesiastical vestiges being present in various archaeological sites and museums from Romania and abroad.
Therefore our Orthodoxy has millenary continuity and it is natural for us.
Nobody imposed it with the force!
Nobody forced us to be Christians!
But Christianity has lasted on Romanian soil because it met here ardent people, determined, which had to combine the courage with the kindness, the beauty of spirit with the creation.
…And Saints are examples of authentic incarnation of Orthodoxy. They are clear examples of intimacy with God. For holiness shows, at fact, that theology which stays at its base is divine…and not a human philosophy.
And this is the greatness of faith: that born Saints, people who truly know God and they are loved by Him!
But our Saints are diverse.
Holy Martyr Constantine Brâncoveanu was voivode of Romanian Land and died by cutting head. He was killed by Muslims on August 15, 1714. That after what he assisted at the killing of four sons and his groom…
Saint John James Hozevitul was monk in Palestine and wrote poems. He is known for its Holy Relics integer.
Saint Pious Onuphrius from Vorona was a great hesychast, who lived in the mountains…while Saint Calinic Cernicanul was a hierarch hesychast, who lived in the midst of the world…
Saint Venerable Theodora from Sihla reached to pray in the air as Saint Mary of Egypt and Saint Venerable Parascheva from Iași was not even 30 years old when she slept.
Yes, those canonized, are more men than women!
But thousands of non-canonized and unknown Saints…are our Romanian Saints…and they are those who pray for us.
And our Church, on June 20, 1992, when it established synodal that the second Sunday after Pentecost to be of Romanian Saints, it was thought at the fact of to emphasize the apostolic continuity of our Church.
For the Church cannot be other than that which comes from Christ, through His Holy Apostles and which was filled of Pentecost by the grace of Trinity.
Therefore, after Sunday of All Saints we have this Sunday, of Romanian Saints: for that holiness does not exclude nationality.
God Himself became incarnate from the nation of Israel and He was not supra-national. But His nationality was one open to all, without any selfishness, without limitation…and at that we are called.
Reason for that Saints of a nation are Saints of whole Church. And all Saints are together in the Kingdom of God…thing which must to make us to love communion and together-ministry.
And, Lord, our God, give to us to rejoice with all Thy Saints! Give us to know Thy saints! That this is true joy: the joy of holiness. Amen!