Les Sciernes d 'Albeuve, Switzerland, September 30, 2019
Photo: Basilica News Agency
A great spiritual event was celebrated on Saturday, as the church at a Romanian Orthodox monastery in Switzerland was consecrated and the abbess of the community was officially installed.
Four Romanian hierarchs gathered for the celebration at the Protection of the Mother of God Monastery, the Romanian Church’s sole monastic habitation in in the Western European country, in the town of Les Sciernes d ‘Albeuve in the Canton of Fribourg in western Switzerland, reports the Basilica News Agency.
Photo: Basilica News Agency
In just a few months, with help from Romanian, Greek, Russian, Swiss, and French Christians, they managed to arrange a beautiful Romanian-style chapel in the house purchased for the nuns.
Photo: Basilica News Agency
The consecration was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe, His Grace Bishop Ignatius of Huși, His Grace Bishop Timothy of Spain and Portugal, and His Grace Bshop Mark of Germany, the vicar of Met. Joseph.
Photo: Basilica News Agency
The consecration was also followed by two other memorable moments, as Abbess Antonia Peleanu was officially installed as the head of the community and one Catholic was received into the holy Orthodox Church.
The spiritual event was attended by Vlad Vasiliu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Switzerland.
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Photo: Basilica News Agency
According to the monastery’s website, members of the Romanian diaspora in Switzerland have been wanting to establish a monastery for many years, to aid in the preservation and transmission of their faith. In December 2009, the Friends of the Romanian Orthodox Monastery in Switzerland Association was established.
With the blessing of Met. Joseph, Mother Antonia, the first inhabitant of the monastery, moved to Fribourg on July 2, 2013, the feast of St. John Maximovitch, the patron saint of the Orthodox diaspora.
At present, the community consists of four nuns and a hieromonk to celebrate the services. The services are celebrated in Romanian and French, and Orthodox faithful of all backgrounds worship at the monastery on Sundays and feast days.
