Believers meeting for first Sunday Divine Liturgy after national state of emergency in Romania (upd)

© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene

LAST UPDATE: 19:58

The assistant bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest presided over the Divine Liturgy at a baldachin next to the patriarchal cathedral on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 17, 2020.

This was the first Sunday Divine Liturgy people were allowed to attend after the end of the national state of emergency instated due to the coronavirus crisis.

Joined by the faithful standing in marked spots to maintain social distancing guidelines, the liturgy on Sunday morning was the first hierarchal Divine Liturgy open to the public at the Patriarchal Cathedral after almost two months of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Today’s gospel invites us all to dialogue, understanding, the knowledge of truth not as a discourse, but as reality and experience, to worship in Spirit and truth,” Bishop Timotei of Prahova said offering his reflections on the gospel reading.

From the Gospel, we learn that Christ “reveals Himself to those who love Him and does not look at the outward appearance as people do,” the bishop explained.

“The Gospel shows us the Saviour’s desire to preach the Gospel to all and the shepherd’s special love for the lost sheep,” he added May 17.

The assistant bishop prayed to Christ “that we also have the living water, that is, His saving words which are more precious than anything else in the world.”

“We pray for the zeal of those who have met the Lord and received Him with joy, asking Him to abide with them.”

“This is how we pray to the Lord: to remain always with us and to help us to go through these moments and other moments of life, knowing that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life”, the Bishop noted ending his sermon.

Source: basilica.ro

© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
© Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene