Thousands flock to venerate Saint Parascheva’s relics in Iasi

Thousands of devotees flocked on Sunday to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi to venerate the incorrupt body of Saint Parascheva the New, considered the Patron Saint of Moldavia, over the Divine Liturgy celebrated by 22 hierarchs on the Saint’s feast day.

Over 20,000 believers attended the Divine Liturgy, while other 11,000 queued to venerate the holy relics of Saints Parascheva and Catherine the Great Martyr, Doxologia reports.

The festal Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Georgios of Kitrous, Katerini and Platamonas, who brought to Iasi a particle of the holy relics of Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria.

Concelebrants for the Divine Liturgy included Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina, Metropolitan Nikolai of Plodviv (Bulgaria), Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia, Metropolitan Irineu of Oltenia, Archbishop Teodosie of Tomis, Archbishop Pimen of Suceava and Radauti, Archbishop Varsanufie of Ramnic, Archbishop Casian of Lower Danube, Bishop Qais of Erzurum (Antioch Patriarchate), Bishop Ignatie of Husi, Bishop Nicodim of Severin and Strehaia, Bishop Antonie of Balti, Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, Bishop Vincentiu of Slobozia and Calarasi, Bishop Galaction of Alexandria and Teleorman, Bishop Gurie of Deva and Hunedoara, and the assistant bishops Ilarion of Fagaras (Sibiu Archdiocese), Damaschin of Dorna (Suceava Archdiocese), Emilian of Crisana (Arad Archdiocese), Sofian of Brasov (Germany Archdiocese), Timotei of Satmar (Maramures Diocese).

After the proclamation of the Holy Gospel, Bishop Ignatie of Husi read out Patriarch Daniel’s blessing message addressed to the pilgrims who gathered in Iasi on the feast day of St Parascheva.

In his homily, Metropolitan Georgios of Kitrous said that ‘in order for each and every one present here today to bring spiritual fruit, we are encountered by our Venerable Mother Parascheva, whose feast day we celebrate today, the defender and protrectress of the historic city of Iasi and of entire Romania, and by the Holy Great Martyr Catherine, the most-wise bride of Christ, whose holy relics we brought here for veneration from Katerini.’

‘We are inspired by the holy lives of these two faithfully victorious women, who demonstrate that they were the good soil to which the day’s gospel reading refers,’ His Eminence said October 14.

He pointed out that even though the two Saints lived in different times, they had a common character of a ‘strong woman’ and ‘considered Christ as the only Bridegroom of their souls.’

Following the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Teofan, the local hierarch, thanked the fellow bishops and the believers who attended this year’s festivities.

His Eminence also referred to the marriage referendum that was held a week before saying that ‘We, the people of the Church, ask forgiveness to those who did not vote, because maybe our life or our word was not so convincing, maybe our voice was not so strong and they listened to other voices that led them to other lands.’