Iași, Romania, November 6, 2024
Photo: basilica.ro
An Orthodox addiction recovery center was solemnly blessed and opened in Iași on Monday, November 4.
The new St. Maximilian Center, established as a ministry of the city’s St. Basil the Great Church and blessed by His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan of Moldova and Bukovina of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was inspired by the tragic story of a young addict named Maximilian, reports the Basilica News Agency.
The project was realized with support from the Iași Archdiocese and specialists from Romania and abroad who have extensive experience in addiction. The center has eight places for residential treatment but also operates on a day basis. It is part of a broader program of the Iași Archdiocese for counseling and treating people affected by addictions.
Though we are weak and susceptible to addiction to all kinds of sin, “the man who opens even slightly to God’s help receives from Him both the power to will and the power to fight,” said Met. Teofan.
Photo: basilica.ro
“We try to address various addictions, not just alcohol or drugs, but also behavioral addictions, gambling addiction, which is growing explosively, even codependency, because around one addict, the whole family suffers,” said Fr. Iulian Negru.
“It’s said that where there’s one addict, there are at least four codependents, who have specific manifestations, and addiction is a family disease. If the entire family environment isn’t healed, the addict will have difficulties recovering and might even be pulled down by those at home.”
And behind every addiction is a trauma that must be treated, the priest emphasized.
The St. Maximilian Center was established with substantial support from Dr. Beatrice Herrmann from Switzerland, whose personal tragedy inspired its creation. Her 26-year-old son Maximilian, who struggled with addiction, tragically passed away while under medical care a year and a half ago. Amidst her suffering, she found purpose in helping others facing similar struggles.
Through her grief, Dr. Herrmann connected with Fr. Iulian, who has been working in addiction recovery for over 20 years. She describes her son’s death as a transformative experience that led her from personal loss to a broader mission of helping others, seeing this work as a way to honor Maximilian’s memory while supporting families affected by addiction.
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