Prague, November 13, 2024
Photo: basilica.ro
A place of worship was blessed for the Romanian diaspora community in Prague on Sunday.
The Divine Liturgy and blessing was celebrated by the local hierarch, His Eminence Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands, together with His Grace Bishop Siluan, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary, reports the Basilica News Agency.
On this occasion, the Czech hierarch highlighted the importance of the Romanian community in maintaining Orthodox spirituality in the Czech Republic.
"We hope that this place of worship will be a new beginning for the Romanian community,” Abp. Michael said, referring to the 2020 fire that destroyed the wooden church where the community used to worship. The church that the community is using now was placed under the protection of St. Nectarios of Aegina during the blessing service.e
At the end of the service, Abp. Michael awarded Bp. Siluan the Order of the Hieromartyr Gorazd, and the parish priest, Fr. Andrei Ioan Danciu, was honored with the Order of the Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
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The Romanian parish of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel was established in 2008, from the desire of Romanians settled in the Czech capital to have a place of prayer in their native language.
The first priest of the parish was Fr. Andrei Ioan Danciu, who came from Romania with his wife and six children. Under his guidance, the parish grew and became a meeting point for Romanians in Prague. Initially, services were held in a wooden church dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael, located in Kinsky Park. This church belonged to the City Hall and had historical monument status.
In 2020, the wooden church was destroyed in a fire, leaving the community without a place of worship. Despite this unfortunate event, the parish continued to function, temporarily moving to a church offered by the local Catholic community.
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