Denton, Maryland, April 2, 2026
Photo: carolinereview.com
Holy Archangels Orthodox Church in Hillsboro-Denton, Maryland, has received a hand-forged, four-foot iron cross for the roof of its church building, gifted by the Pro Vita orphanage in Romania in recognition of the parish’s many years of support for the ministry.
Holy Archangels officially opened in 2024 as Caroline County’s first Orthodox Christian church, though Fr. Robert Miclean’s connection to Pro Vita spans fifteen years. He has been leading mission trips for young adults and college students to the orphanage since 2011, drawing many participants from his 21-year ministry to midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy and students at St. John’s College in Annapolis, reports Caroline Review.
Fr. Nicolae and children of Pro Vita. Photo: asociatia-provita.org
The cross was presented to Holy Archangels as a gesture of gratitude for the parish’s sustained dedication to the orphanage. Holy Archangels describes its support for Pro Vita as participation in a ministry to “the least of these,” referencing Matthew 25.
Pro Vita (“For Life”) was founded in 1994 by Fr. Nicolae Tănase and his wife Maria Tănase in the village of Valea Plopului in Prahova County, Romania, where they opened their homes to abandoned children alongside local villagers and volunteers. The association has since grown to assist over 10,000 people over the years, with facilities including a camp in Valea Screzii and a family-style home in Vălenii de Munte, built in 2016. Its mission centers on the protection and promotion of human life and family values from conception to natural death.
The orphanage currently houses over 300 abandoned or orphaned children, as well as families fleeing abuse or facing severe financial hardship. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, it has also sheltered two Ukrainian orphanages evacuated from Odessa.
Learn more about Pro Vita and donate to the cause at its website.
A Romanian-language video includes beautiful scenes of the orphanage and its children:
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