{"id":376601,"date":"2022-06-15T17:23:07","date_gmt":"2022-06-15T14:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=376601"},"modified":"2022-06-15T17:23:28","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T14:23:28","slug":"consecration-of-st-stephen-the-great-church-in-vienna-a-symbol-of-our-peoples-faith-and-worthiness-on-austrian-soil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arhiva.basilica.ro\/en\/consecration-of-st-stephen-the-great-church-in-vienna-a-symbol-of-our-peoples-faith-and-worthiness-on-austrian-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"Consecration of St Stephen the Great Church in Vienna: a symbol of our people\u2019s faith and worthiness on Austrian soil"},"content":{"rendered":"

His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, consecrated on Saturday the altar of the Romanian Church dedicated to the Descent of the Holy Spirit and St Stephen the Great in Vienna, which he said is \u201ca symbol of the faith and worthiness of our people on Austrian soil.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Five hierarchs concelebrated with Metropolitan Serafim, including His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenios Kardamakis of Austria, Exarch of Hungary and Central Europe (Ecumenical Patriarchate), His Grace Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploie\u015fti, His Grace Assistant Bishop Sofian of Brasov (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg), and His Grace Assistant Bishop Emilian of Cri\u0219ana (Arad Archdiocese).<\/p>\n

Abbots of monasteries in Bukovina, His Excellency Emil Hurezeanu, the Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Austria, representatives of Vienna\u2019s Sector 2 City Hall, and dozens of Romanian priests, benefactors and believers also participated.<\/p>\n

The liturgical answers were offered by members of the Tronos Byzantine Choir of the Patriarchal Cathedral, led by Archdeacon Mihail Buc\u0103, and by the parish choir \u201cSaint Stephen the Great\u201d, led by the Deacon Theodore Coresi and Dr Catarina Coresi Lal.<\/p>\n

In his homily, Metropolitan Serafin referred to the theological and spiritual significance of the architecture of an Orthodox church.<\/p>\n

The church structure, a mysterious ascent<\/h1>\n

\u201cThe altar of a church is its holiest place, the Holy of Holies. But, as we know, Orthodoxy has a deep sense of mystery, of the sacred present in the church\u2019s architecture, in icons and frescoes, in the ritual of services and in vocal music. Everything in the Church has a meaning, a symbol, which sends us to the highest reality of the heavenly world,\u201d the Romanian Metropolitan of Germany said.<\/p>\n

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Six hierarchs officiated the consecration of the Romanian church in Vienna dedicated to St Stephen the Great, on June 11, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAn Orthodox church generally consists of three parts: the narthex, the nave and the altar, which symbolize the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The narthex symbolizes the Holy Spirit, under whose inner impulse we come to church, to unite with Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.<\/p>\n

From the narthex, we walk to the nave, the symbol of the Son, and from the nave, we advance to the Holy Altar, the symbol of the Father. It is a mysterious ascension,\u201d His Eminence explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Holy Spirit leads us to the Son, and the Son shows us the Father. If the Son of God revealed Himself to the world through His incarnation, and the Holy Spirit through His Descent at Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire, God the Father remains shrouded in the mystery of the Holy Altar, the Holy of Holies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout a close connection with the Church, without prayer and restraint from the pleasures of the body, the soul becomes passionate about the things of this world, becomes carnal and insensitive to the mysteries surrounding us,\u201d His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim noted.<\/p>\n

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Metropolitan Serafim of Germany and Northern Europe referred to the symbolism of the church architecture, June 11, 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe church is our life, the life of Christians. Nowhere in the world does our soul feel better, more protected and enveloped by the presence of God as in the church. Only in church, in prayer, do we relieve ourselves of the pains and sorrows we accumulate in everyday life,\u201d the Metropolitan of Germany added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly in the church do we learn to love God truly and one another, because only the Church truly helps us socialize and makes us sensitive to the needs of our fellows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA society without religion, without the Church, is doomed to decay and perish. Therefore, I urge you to love the Church, to pray fervently in the church, with the necessary attention, so that all prayer and singing may enter your heart and be filled with the Holy Spirit,\u201d His Eminence said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metropolitan Serafim thanked the faithful and the parish priest \u201cfor the sacrifice of building this church, a symbol of the faith and worthiness of our people on Austrian soil, where a plethora of Romanians have studied and worked for centuries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe would also like to thank the authorities of the city of Vienna, who welcomed our request to have a representative church, which would enrich the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Austrian capital,\u201d the Metropolitan added.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Romanian Metropolitan also thanked the Roman Catholic Church and Cardinal Christoph Sch\u00f6nborn, the Catholic Archbishop of Vienna, \u201cfor the moral and material support provided to the Romanian Orthodox communities in Austria.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLast but not least, we thank all our priests in Austria who are working hard for the spiritual care of the faithful and for each to have their place of worship,\u201d Metropolitan Serafim said, ending his speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emblem of the beautiful collaboration with the Viennese authorities<\/span><\/h1>\n

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploie\u0219ti read Patriarch Daniel\u2019s message for the consecration of the altar of St. Stephen the Great Church in Vienna.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis church was built in a short time (2018-2021), during the difficult period of the Coronavirus pandemic, but also providentially during 2021, consecrated by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as Solemn Year of the pastoral care of Romanians abroad,\u201d the Patriarch of Romania said in his official message.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Romanian Patriarch appreciated that the project is \u201can emblem of the beautiful collaboration with the Viennese authorities\u201d, and the pilgrimage office of the parish, which will collaborate with the Basilica Travel Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, offering religious tourism services also for Austrian citizens, will be the opportunity to make new friends and show the beauty and spiritual richness of Romania.<\/span><\/p>\n

Several awards were presented as a token of recognition for their involvement in the church building project.<\/span><\/p>\n

Distinctions offered by the Romanian Patriarchate<\/span><\/h1>\n

The order \u201cSaint John Jacob of Neamt, the New Chosebite\u201d for clerics<\/span><\/h2>\n