Romanian metropolitan visits Canada: We pass from death to life by being filled with Christ

“The feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God is such a great feast because the Mother of God chose humility, just like her Son,” Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe said on Friday evening at the Romanian Orthodox parish in Boian, Alberta, Canada. His Eminence celebrated the all-night vigil for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God together with Metropolitan Nicolae of the Americas and Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada. The Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe said that the Mother of God could have chosen not to die and could have been taken bodily into heaven by her Son. “But if her Son, God Himself, died, was buried and rose again, she too chose to die, like all of us, and to be laid in the tomb. Yet the tomb could not contain her.” The Mother of God’s being taken up into heaven was possible because she had been filled with the grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us be filled with Christ! His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif urged the faithful of the Boian parish to be filled with Christ in order to overcome death. “Our faith is that, like the Mother of God, by being filled with Christ and receiving God within us, we pass from death to life.” His Eminence highlighted the need to remain in constant communion with our Saviour Jesus Christ, asking Him to help us with the difficulties of everyday life. Following the service, the traditional procession took place around the church, in accordance with the liturgical tradition associated with the Lamentations of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The three hierarchs were visiting the Romanian Orthodox parish in Canada to consecrate the community’s new church. Photo: Diocese of Canada