Suceava, Suceava County, Romania, November 9, 2022
Photo: arhiepiscopiasucevei.ro
In 1514, Bogdan III, son of St. Stephen the Great, began the construction of the Church of the Great Martyr George at St. John the New of Suceava Monastery.
It was completed in 1522 under Stephen IV, the grandson of St. Stephen the Great.
And on Sunday, score of faithful and a number of hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church visited the monastery in Suceava to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the church’s consecration, reports the Archdiocese of Suceava.
The relics of St. John the New. Photo: Facebook
The church has been home to the relics of St. John the New since 1589. The monastery served as the residence of the Metropolitan of Moldova from 1522 to 1677, and since 1991 it has been the residence of the Archbishop of Suceava.
In 1993, the Church of St. George was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Liturgy on Sunday was celebrated on the monastery’s outdoor altar by His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan of Moldova and Bucovina and another five Romanian hierarchs. They also served a memorial parastas for the founders, benefactors, and servants of the monastery who have reposed.
A message for the occasion from His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania was read out. The Church of St. Georgie is “a sanctuary of Orthodox spirituality and a monumental work of art,” the Patriarch said.
A report from the Romanian Church’s Trinitas TV shows scenes from the day’s festivities:
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