Winder, Georgia, September 9, 2024
A mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on September 4 left four dead and nine wounded.
The four people killed are Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14-year-old students, and the teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, the former a practicing Romanian Orthodox Christian.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, the Romanian Metropolitan of America and Canada, sent a message of condolences to the local St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church:
Fr. Nicolae Clempuș,
To the family of teacher Cristina Irimie,
To the community of St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church, Dacula, GA
Fr. Nicolae,
Grieving family,
Dear faithful,
We have learned with great sadness about the attack at Apalachee High School in Winter, GA, which led to several victims, both dead and wounded, including the Romanian math teacher Cristina Irimie.
Together with the priests and faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, we express compassion for all victims and their families and assure them of our prayers for the repose of the souls of those who have passed to the Lord in this tragic manner, for the comfort of their families’ grief, and for the healing of those wounded.
We will especially raise prayers for the soul of the fallen servant of God Cristina! We express condolences to the family and the entire community of St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church, Dacula, GA, of which they are part. We pray to the Lord to pour out His mercy and bring comfort to all!
†Metropolitan Nicolae
Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
Christine’s parish priest, Fr. Nicolae Clempuș, wrote about her:
To be a math teacher at an American high school nowadays, you have to be a special person. To be involved in your community and dedicated to your Church, you have to be faithful. To always have a smile on your face, joking and laughing, you have to be a cheerful and optimistic person. To face evil head-on and give your life in front of your class of students, you have to be a hero and role model by definition. All of these things Cristina Irimie was. Departed too suddenly and too early, she will remain in our memory forever. We pray for her husband Dorin and for all the grieving family.
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