On Saturday, 15 January 2026, on the feast day of the Venerable Saint Seraphim of Sarov, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the patronal feast of the chapel located within the Residential Center for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities in Chișinău.
Concelebrating with the Metropolitan were His Grace Bishop Nicolae of Ceadîr-Lunga, Vicar of the Diocese of Cahul and Comrat, Archpriest Mitrophoros Vadim Cheibaș, Metropolitan Secretary and Dean of Sector I, Chișinău, Archpriest Mitrophoros Boris Canțîr, the parish priest of the chapel, as well as a host of serving priests and deacons.
At the Little Entrance, the Primate conferred upon the parish priest, Archpriest Mitrophoros Boris Canțîr, the Order of “Saint Hierarch Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni,” Second Class, in recognition of his sacrificial ministry and pastoral care for the elderly, as well as for the faithful who attend this chapel.
The divine service was enriched by two ordinations: Deacon Mihail Peșterean was ordained to the priesthood, and Subdeacon Alexandru Alexeev, a graduate of ATOM 2024, was ordained to the diaconate.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova received expressions of gratitude from the director of the institution, its staff, the parish priest, and the elderly residents, who expressed their appreciation and love for the Metropolitan for his pastoral care and for all the beautiful works accomplished by the Church for this institution.
The Hierarch expressed his personal conviction that he will continue to care for this institution, exhorting everyone to look after the elderly as they would their own parents.
The divine service was also occasioned by the celebration of the 30th anniversary since the opening of this chapel. As a blessing for the elderly residents of the Residential Center, His Eminence organized a festal meal, as he customarily does on various feast days throughout the year, thus fulfilling the commandment of the Savior: “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me…” (Matthew 25:35–36).
At the conclusion of the event, the Archpastor conferred upon Mr. Gheorghe Bejenari, Director of the institution, the Order of “Saint Hierarch Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni,” Second Class, in recognition of his dedicated leadership and care for the elderly residents of this institution.
The Synodal Sector for Institutional Communication and Media Relations
