“In the history of the Prodromitissa Icon of the Mother of God, we see how the work of God is intertwined with the work of humans,” the patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiești said at the Romanian Skete Prodromos on Monday.
Celebrating the feast of the Panagia Prodromitissa, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop celebrated the all-night vigil and the Divine Liturgy at the Romanian Athonite Skete’s catholicon.
His Grace remembered that 159 years ago, Hieromonk Nephon, the first hegumen of Prodromos Skete, accompanied by Hieroschemamonk Nectarios, went to Iași, where they spent a long time looking for an iconographer to paint the Prodromitissa Icon of the Mother of God.
In his speech, Bishop Varlaam pointed out that many replicas were made of the icon.
“A replica is kept at the Chapel of the National Cathedral in Bucharest. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel was truly inspired to ask for this replica to be made and taken there at the beginning of the works at the National Cathedral.”
“Everyone involved in this project felt the presence, the work, and miracles of the Mother of God. Therefore, it is our duty to praise, honour and venerate the Theotokos.”
“Let us ask the Theotokos to help us discover the depth and sweetness of Christ’s words in the Holy Gospel, to give us the wisdom to observe it and the strength to fulfil it in our lives according to the measure of each of us,” His Grace Bishop Varlaam said July 25.
On behalf of Patriarch Daniel, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești conveyed blessings, congratulations, and appreciation to hegumen Atanasie the Prodromite and the monastic community of Prodromos Skete for the works carried out in recent years, as well as to the faithful who attended the services on the Feast of the Prodromitissa Icon.
Photography courtesy of Daniel Cazan
