A new Romanian Orthodox Church has been consecrated in Troy (USA)

The Romanian Orthodox Community in Troy – Michigan (USA) was dressed on Saturday, 19 September 2015, in feast garments. After long efforts,St Nicholas and Pious Paraskeva Church was consecrated in Troy.

On this event, His Grace Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul, Assistant bishop to the Archbishopric of Bucharest, was the delegate of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania.

The old church located on this place belonged to the Chinese Baptist Community in Troy. Following a fire which caused serious damages, the church was rebuilt by the 17-years-long effort of the Parish PriestGheorghe Cârstea, in order to serve the Romanian Orthodox Community in the area.

The program of the manifestations dedicated to the new church started with theAkathist to St Nicholas, and afterwards the consecration of the new place of worship was officiated by His Eminence Nathaniel, Archbishop of Detroit and of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate in America (OCA), and His Grace Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul.

Next, the delegate of the Romanian Patriarch served the Divine Liturgy, which was led by His Eminence Nathaniel, in the participation of approximatively twenty clergymen arrived from Romania and other parts of the American continent. This numerous assembly of clergy, together with the approx. 500 faithful, marked the importance of this event.

His Grace BIshop Timotei read the message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, on the consecration of theSt Nicholas and Pious Paraskeva Church, which was joyfully received by the faithful with applause.

On his turn, underlying the outstanding commitment of the parish priest Gheorghe Cârstea, His Grace Bishop Timotei affirmed in the message addressed to the Romanian community in Troy that “building this church for the community represents a true school of virtue, for whichmany labours have been carried out. It represents a flame that animated long-term efforts”. The Romanian Orthodox Community in Troy, as His Grace Bishop Timotei noted,“keeps the indestructible binding with the national being and preserves the faith of Romanians who left home and live far away in the world”. The high number of faithful present at the consecration of the church offered a further witness “about their longing to continuously pray at the beginning of great undertakings, as once by the great Romanian ruler princes Saints Stephen the Great and Constantine Brâncoveanu did ”.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Timotei offered to the church of Troy, on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, a set of holy vessels and a blessing cross, crafted at the workshops of the Romanian Patriarchate. Also, the new Romanian church received as a gift an icon of the Holy Ruler Prince Martyr Constantine Brâncoveanu, having encrusted a fragment of his holy relics. “Given the tribulations in the world, Christians can prevail only through fiery faith, dignity and sacrifice, as demonstrated from among Romanians by St Constantine Brâncoveanu”, His Grace added.

As a sign of appreciation for the efforts to build this emblematic place for the Romanian Orthodox Community in America, the Romanian Patriarch granted different patriarchal distinctions, which were handed by His Grace Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul, as follows:

Parish Priest Gheorghe Cârstea received thePatriarchal Cross;

Presbytera Felicia Cârstea received theMaria Brâncoveanu Cross Order;

Prof. dr. Ştefana Romanov received theSt John Chrysostom commemorative diploma and medal;

Dr. Teodor Danieliuc received theSt John Chrysostom commemorative diploma and medal;

Mr. Adrian Leica received theSt John Chrysostom commemorative diploma and medal.

On the occasion of the consecration of theSt Nicholas and Pious Paraskeva Romanian Church in Troy, the faithful had the joy of venerating the reliquary containing the relics of St Hierarch Nicholas, which was brought here with the blessing of the Romanian Patriarch from St George the New Church in Bucharest, by parish priest  Emil-Nedelea Cărămizaru.

The event concluded with a agape feast (lunch), at which approx. 350 persons participated.

Source: Romanian Patriarchate