The memory of the righteous is praised with hymns, and for you the testimony of the Lord is sufficient, O Forerunner. For you were truly shown to be more honorable than the prophets, since you were deemed worthy to baptize in the waters Him whom you had proclaimed. Therefore, having suffered for the truth, with joy you proclaimed God even to those in Hades—Him who was manifested in the flesh, who took away the sin of the world and granted us great mercy.(Troparion of Saint John the Baptist)
On the day following the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, from the very beginning the Church has appointed the feast of the Synaxis of the honorable and glorious Prophet John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, for it was fitting to honor with a feast the one who ministered at the Mystery of the divine Baptism, laying his hand upon the head of the Master.
On this day, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir officiated the Holy and Divine Liturgy at the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in the city of Comrat, Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia.
Here, the Primate was joyfully welcomed by His Eminence Anatolie, Archbishop of Cahul and Comrat, Bishop Nicolae of Ceadîr-Lunga, Eparchial Vicar, representatives of the local public authorities, and numerous faithful from the region.
Concelebrating with the hierarchs were Archpriest Mitrophoros Mihail Mungiu, Eparchial Secretary; Archpriest Mitrophoros Petru Cheleș, Dean of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia; the Very Reverend Archimandrite Irinarh (Costru), Abbot of Țigănești Monastery; together with a host of priests and deacons.
During the Little Entrance, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir conferred upon Father Petru Cheleș the Order of the Right-Believing Voivode Stephen the Great and Holy, Second Class.
At the conclusion of the Holy Liturgy, a Te Deum was served before the icon of Saint Prophet John the Baptist, after which the Metropolitan congratulated the faithful of Comrat on the occasion of the cathedral’s feast day and exhorted them to live with love and attentiveness to the teachings of our Holy Orthodox Church.
A word of gratitude was also offered by His Eminence Anatolie, who encouraged the Christians of Comrat to remain united in the faith of their forefathers and to preserve intact the moral and spiritual values of the Church and of our predecessors.
As a remembrance of today’s common prayer, the pilgrims received as a gift from the Metropolitan copies of the New Testament and calendars for the year 2026.
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