The church of the “Holy Three Hierarchs” Romanian Parish in La Courneuve – Paris was consecrated last Saturday, on the eve of its patronal feast.
The consecration service was officiated in Romanian and French by Romanian Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe, who was joined by Archbishop Job of Telmessos (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople), by Metropolitan Ignatios of Western and Meridional Europe (Antiochian Patriarchate), by Romanian Bishop Iustin of Maramureş and Sătmar, by Romanian Bishop Timotei of Spain and Portugal, by Romanian Auxiliary Bishop for Western Europe Marc of Neamț, and by HG Atanasie of Bogdania, Auxiliary Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy.
The liturgical answers were given by the Anastasios Byzantine Music Choir in Târgu Mureş, Romania.
Metropolitan Iosif emphasized that, through consecration, a church will become God’s dwelling place on earth and gates to heaven.
The hierarch briefly explained the meaning and syntax of painting in Orthodox places of worship.
On the same occasion, the parish was given a second patronal feast: The Protection of the Mother of God.
HE Iosif also consecrated the Holy Antemensions offered last year to the Romanian diaspora communities by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. Each Romanian parish in Western Europe is to to receive one.
