London, May 12, 2025
Photo: basilica.ro
The Romanian Orthodox Church celebrated the enthronement of its first bishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Saturday, May 10.
The Divine Liturgy and the enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie were celebrated at the St. George Cathedral in London, a refurbished church building that had its first Orthodox service just last month.
The Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was established by the Romanian Holy Synod in February 2024, as part of the Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe. On October 25, the Synod elected Abp. Atanasie, who was then the auxiliary bishop in Italy, to head the Archdiocese.
The tomos of enthronement was read on Saturday by His Grace Bishop Siluan of Italy, and His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe handed Abp. Atanasie the episcopal insignia and presided over the enthronement, reports the Basilica News Agency.
Photo: basilica.ro
His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște read out the message of congratulations from His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in which he emphasized that the enthronement “represents a moment of blessed joy for the entire Romanian Orthodox Church and a spiritually and historically significant event for the Romanian Orthodox community in the north-western lands of the European continent.”
“During this solemn moment of the enthronement,” the Patriarchate wrote, “His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie Rusnac is entrusted by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church with the new mission of being a spiritual father, shepherd, and pillar of the faith and unity of the Romanian Orthodox priests and faithful in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
Photo: basilica.ro
A message from King Charles III was also read out.
Met. Iosif reminded the Archbishop of his pastoral duties—seeking out the faithful, edifying souls through God’s word, and witnessing through love—while emphasizing the need to care for young people, the elderly, and immigrants who suffer from loneliness, working together with clergy and laypeople as he had done previously as Auxiliary Bishop in Italy.
Abp. Atanasie expressed humility before his new responsibilities, acknowledging both the challenges and grace of his position in a land blessed by ancient martyrs and Celtic saints, ultimately entrusting his ministry to God with the declaration: “It is a new beginning, it is a difficult beginning, but I entrust my life and ministry to the Good Shepherd.”
Photo: basilica.ro
In addition to the Romanian bishops, the service was also attended by hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Antioch, and Georgia.
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