Consecration of the Church of St. Nicholas in the Monastery of Suruceni

Hundreds of Christians gathered on Sunday, 18^th December, at the holy Monastery of Suruceni, to participate in the Divine Liturgy and consecration of the Summer Church of the Monastery in honour of Holy Hierarch Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia.

On the 16^th Sunday after the Pentecost, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova, assisted by over 30 priests and deacons, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Saint Great-Martyr George Monastery of Suruceni, Ialoveni district.

During the service, deacon Victor Manziuc was ordained priest and appointed to ministry in the Miracle of Archangel Michael parish of Chisinau.

The event was marked by the atmosphere of unity in prayer, peace and grace, but also of calmness and humility. Pilgrims gathered from all corners of the country experienced moments of profound spiritual joy.

After the consecration of the church, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir delivered a homily, pointing out the importance of ctitoring holy shrines as a need of pastoral and missionary ministry: “We thank God for this day and for this precious gift of consecration of the House of the Lord, the holy shrine that housed today’s Divine Liturgy. Before consecration, a church is the gift of people, of the ctitors, of the monastic or parish community – an offering to the Lord, but after the consecration, a church becomes the gift of God for us, because since it is consecrated, we receive the consecration, the sanctification of our souls and bodies, in the Holy Mysteries that are celebrated in this shrine”.

In sign of the archpastor’s appreciation of the efforts for the edification and embellishment of the holy shrine, the Metropolitan rewarded the nun superior of the Monastery of Suruceni, Hegumeness Epistimia with the First Degree Order of Church Merit.

Numerous ctitors who had actively participated in the construction of this architectural pearl, were awarded church distinctions by the Hierarch.

The foundation stone of this church was laid by Metropolitan Vladimir on 4^th July 2008. The works were financially supported by the church-goers.

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