Rosiers, France, October 7, 2025
Photo: Archdiocese of Roman
On Sunday, October 5, His Eminence Archbishop Ioachim of Roman and Bacău officiated the consecration service for the renovation works at the Holy Annunciation Monastery in Rosiers, near Paris, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe and His Grace Bishop Nectarie of Ireland and Iceland.
After the celebration of Matins by the assembly of priests and deacons, the three hierarchs reconsecrated the renovated monastery and its mural paintings, anointing its walls with Holy Chrism, reports the Archdiocese of Roman.
The assembly of hierarchs and priests then celebrated the Divine Liturgy under the leadership of Met. Iosif. At the conclusion, Abp. Ioachim delivered a homily on the Sunday Gospel reading from Luke 6:31-36, which addresses the commandment to love one’s enemies.
Photo: Diocese of Ireland
Returning to these places after 35 years, Abp. Ioachim expressed his joy at reuniting with the faithful who formed the first Orthodox community at Rosiers in the 1990s, consisting of several Romanian families from the area. He noted his gratitude that the community has remained alive and fruitful, with the church serving not only as a place of worship but as a testimony of faith, sacrifice and unity for Romanians who struggled to establish an altar to God on foreign soil.
“Today marks ten years since the completion of the restoration works of this church,” Abp. Ioachim said. “We’ve maintained contact with the faithful in this part of France, where I had my mission in the Paris region. Throughout the years we’ve carried out various collaborations in social and cultural matters, but especially in mutual missionary, pastoral and philanthropic assistance.”
Abp. Ioachim expressed joy that after more than 30 years, a monastic rule is now practiced at the monastery according to Romanian monastic tradition, and that despite all difficulties and challenges, especially the secularization in the West, God’s work has continued.
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Photo: Diocese of Ireland
The Rosiers monastic establishment, the first monastery of Romanian tradition in the West, was founded in 1991 and reorganized during his doctoral studies in France by Archimandrite Ioachim (Giosanu), assisted by several willing persons and families.
The monastery was consecrated on May 21, 2005. In 2013 the wooden ceiling of the church was replaced and the interior prepared to receive painted decoration. The painting was executed by a team of three painters led by Marian Hulașu from the Archdiocese of Roman, beginning in November 2013 and completed at the end of February 2014.
New expansion works for the church began in February 2024. The works were completed after a year of diligent work. The same team of iconographers returned to Rosiers to continue the acrylic painting technique. Funding came largely through the Department for Romanians Everywhere and from donations of faithful who frequent the monastery.
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