Los Angeles, November 7, 2025
Photo: mitropolia.us
The Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church in Los Angeles marked its 85th anniversary on Sunday, November 2, with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and festive gathering attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas.
The hierarch celebrated the Liturgy alongside several clergy members, including Fr. Ștefan Drăgoi, diocesan secretary; Fr. Constantin Alecse, parish protopresbyter; Fr. Viorel Vișovan, parish priest; and Fr. Ioan Poptelecan from Minnesota, a former priest of the parish, the Metropolia reports.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan stressed that true fulfillment comes not from material possessions but from spiritual growth through prayer, almsgiving, and sincere repentance. “The true fulfillment of human life is not found in the possession of material things, but in the inner spiritual work of the heart, through which one becomes rich in God,” he said.
Photo: mitropolia.us
Following the Liturgy, Met. Nicolae blessed a commemorative jubilee plaque and presented the parish with an icon of the Holy Trinity. Fr. Constantin Alecse received the Cross of the Order of Sts. Constantine and Helen in recognition of more than 40 years of pastoral service to the parish.
The celebration continued with an anniversary banquet in the parish hall, which featured traditional Romanian hospitality, including a bread and salt greeting. The parish distributed a 40-page commemorative booklet documenting the community’s history and His Eminence offered a historical overview of Romanian Orthodoxy in America.
The program included musical performances, a traditional folk show, and a multimedia presentation highlighting the parish’s history from the 1980s and 1990s. Twenty Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to parish council members, committee members, Sunday School teachers, and other contributors.
Fr. Constantin Alecse thanked Met. Nicolae for accepting the parish under the canonical protection of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, noting that this fulfilled the longstanding wishes of the parish’s founders and previous generations.
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