On the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, after the Divine Liturgy, solemn services were celebrated in all the places of worship of the Romanian Patriarchate. The bells were rung at all churches and monasteries and a solemn moment was held in all public institutions and educational units, as a sign of gratitude for the heroes who sacrificed themselves for faith, nation and country.
In Bucharest, the religious and military manifestations dedicated to the Heroes’ Day began with the laying of wreaths of flowers at “Filantropia” Israel Cemetery and continued at the Unknown Soldier Grace in Carol Park, at the Monument of the military heroes who died in mission in the Romanian territory from the Children’s National Palace, at the Monument of the Homeland’s Heroes from the National Defence University of “Carol I”, and at Ghencea Military Cemetery. According to the communiqué of the National Defence Ministry, similar ceremonies were held at the heroes’ monuments, at the great mausoleums, as well as at the cemeteries and plots of honour in the county residence cities and localities in which there are great military units. The Romanian heroes have also been remembered at the shrine monument in Nicolae Iorga Park of Bucharest by the servant priests from “Saint Basil the Great” – Victoria church and from “Saint Nicolae” – Tabacu church. The faithful of the two parishes brought boiled wheat and wine at the solemn service. “It was here, on Calea Victoriei (Victory’s Way), that the victorious soldiers who fought in the Independence War in 1877 and in the two world wars came into the city. This was reason why the name of the street was changed from Podul Mogosoaiei (Mogosoaia Bridge) into Calea Victoriei (Victory Way), Rev Cristian Trandafir, parish priest of “Saint Basil the Great”-Victoria church, explained.
On the Heroes’ Day processions dedicated to the heroes of the Romanian nation were also held in Galati and Braila cities. “The religious importance and national significance of this feast made the theme of analysis of the religion classes on the week preceding the event, in all schools and high schools of the eparchy. The heroes of the Romanian nation have also been remembered during the Divine Liturgies celebrated in all the churches of the Archdiocese of Lower Danube and extensive liturgical and cultural artistic manifestations were organised for those who sacrificed themselves in “battlefields, labour camps and prisons for defending their homeland and ancient faith, for the completion of the nation, for the freedom and dignity of the Romanian people”. Solemn services have also been celebrated, after the Divine Liturgy, at the cemeteries, road side shrines and monuments dedicated to the heroes of the nation”, Rev Gabriel Molocea said, missionary counsellor and for media communication within the Archdiocese of Lower Danube.
At Slobozia, the solemn service of the heroes was preceded by the celebration of the dedication day of the Episcopal Cathedral, “Ascension of the Lord”, of the city, where the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Vincentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, assisted by a group of priests and deacons – the website of the eparchy informs. After the solemn service for the founders of the Episcopal Cathedral, the hierarch, clergy, and faithful went in procession to the Monument of the Heroes in the Youth Park where, after the military honour, the solemn service for the heroes of the nation was celebrated and wreaths of flowers were laid.
At the parochial level too religious and military manifestations were organised on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord (Heroes’ Day). One of these units was the parish of Floresti, deanery of Campina, county of Prahova. Representatives of the local authorities and many faithful attended the religious ceremony at the monument raised in the honour of the heroes and laid wreaths of flowers together with the militaries from the Military Unit of Bucov and the students of the military school in locality, who have also performed an artistic programme for the event. To end with these manifestations, 100 parcels were given to those present”, Rev Ciprian Negoita said, co-servant priest of “Saint Trinity”- Floresti parish.
On the Heroes’ Day, religious and military ceremonies were organised in the Romanian Diaspora too. Thursday, 21 May 2015, Rev Sorin Selaru, director of the Representation of the Romanian Orthodox Church at the European institutions participated, in the military cemetery of Mons, Belgium, together with Stefan Tinca, Romanian Ambassador in the Belgium Kingdom, and the Romanian military representatives within the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe – (SHAPE), in the commemoration service of the Romanian soldiers who died in the World War I – basilica ro. informs. Over 500 soldiers are buried in this cemetery, most of them British and Germans, as well as Romanians, who died during the battles fought here in the World War I.
