On May 21-22, the Bialystok Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker held celebrations dedicated to its patron saint. St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra. This year the Cathedral feast was combined with diocesan celebrations associated with the 100th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
The solemn Divine Liturgy was led by the Head of the Orthodox Church in Poland, His Beatitude Sava, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland. The service was also attended by His Eminence: Archbishop Jakub of Bialystok and Gdansk, Archbishop Jerzy of Wrocław and Szczecin, Archbishop Paisiusz of Przemyśl and Gorlicki, Archbishop Grzegorz of Bielsk and Bishop Andrzej of Suprasław. In addition, the church was attended by invited guests: Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Bialystok Archbishop Jozef Guzdek, Podlaskie Voivode Jacek Brzozowski, Marshal of Podlaskie Voivodeship Lukasz Prokorim, President of Bialystok Tadeusz Truskolaski and Chairman of the Bialystok Voivodeship. City Councilwoman Katarzyna Jamroz
Before the Liturgy, Metropolitan Savva consecrated a plaque in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Orthodox Church in Poland receiving autocephaly. After the Liturgy, a prayer service was held, during which prayers of thanksgiving were offered for the 100th anniversary of the administrative independence of the Church in Poland. Poland.
According to him, Metropolitan Savva, among other things, said that he thanked St. Nicholas that he could be in Bialystok today. As he emphasized, we are all experiencing a special period, the Easter season, when we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, incomprehensible to human reason. It is a miracle upon miracles. The God-man Jesus did this to fulfill the covenant between fallen man Adam and God. Through Jesus' death, the covenant was renewed and humanity found a new relationship with its creator, God.
Today we live in the XXI century, - Metropolitan Savva continued, - and we understand the Resurrection in a different way. But the truth of his resurrection will last until his second coming, when there will be a new earth and a new heaven, when there will be a unification of mankind and the entire cosmos. Because we are a small cosmos, part of a small universe, and what happens through the Resurrection reflects on the whole cosmos. (...) There is a fresco in the capital's Hagia Sophia Cathedral depicting such an event as St. Nicholas Day beating Arius in the face with his fist. As Metropolitan Savva emphasized, this symbolically struck at human nature, which did not want to understand what the incarnation of God was. Whether one believes or does not believe in the resurrection, Christ gives the possibility of happiness here on earth and eternal happiness in heaven. It depends from us. This truth has educated many generations and may it strengthen us living in the 21st century. (...) Our ancestors, the Vislavs and Polans, adopted the Byzantine rite even earlier than Kiev, and the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius brought to our land the faith in the resurrection of Christ. This faith is preserved to this day, despite many difficulties, in our lands, including here in Podlasie. The head of the Orthodox Church in Poland urged those gathered to always glorify the name of God and to fight in the name of God against evil, which is very abundant in the world today.
As the Metropolitan noted, the Church itself has no borders. Its administrative boundaries were created only to facilitate the management of parishes, dioceses and metropolises. The essence of the Church is contained in the words of the Savior, who said that where two or three are gathered in my name, there I will be among them.
At the end of his speech, Metropolitan Savva addressed the host of the ceremony, Archbishop Jakub, thanking him for his efforts as Bishop of Bialystok. In recognition of his work and the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne of the Bialystok bishops, Metropolitan Savva awarded Archbishop Jakub with the Order of St. Mary Magdalene, 1st degree.
In his speech, Jacek Brzozowski, Voivode of Podlaskie, emphasized that we can talk for a long time about the importance of the Orthodox Christianity Church for Polish, and especially Podlaskie, traditions and culture. Its heritage is inextricably linked to our history. Its cultural wealth is the wealth of our homeland. The Voivode expressed his gratitude to the priests gathered here for their hard and difficult daily service and wished all the faithful of the Orthodox Church that it may constantly develop together with a free and independent Poland.
Jubilee wishes were also expressed by Marshal Lukasz Prokorim. He emphasized that the richness of the Podlaskie Voivodeship lies in its national, cultural and religious diversity. The Marshal expressed his joy that the Orthodox community of our region makes a great contribution to the realization of these values. He also assured that Podlaskie Voivodeship is a place where ecumenical values can be fully realized.
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Bialystok expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Jakub for the kindness shown during his visit to Bialystok two years ago, as well as for the friendship and normality in the relationship. On the occasion of the double anniversary, he wished Vladyka further fruitful cooperation between the two Churches, for, as he emphasized, there is still much to be done together. We must set an example to the world of unity and mutual respect, because that is what we are doing God and people expect from us. So let us continue to write this wonderful history of the Orthodox and Catholic Church here in the Podlaskie Voivodeship," added Archbishop Guzdek.
Archbishop Jakub warmly thanked the hierarchs present for praying together and the invited guests for participating in such an important event for the Bialystok Church.
The solemn Divine Liturgy was led by the Head of the Orthodox Church in Poland, His Beatitude Sava, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland. The service was also attended by His Eminence: Archbishop Jakub of Bialystok and Gdansk, Archbishop Jerzy of Wrocław and Szczecin, Archbishop Paisiusz of Przemyśl and Gorlicki, Archbishop Grzegorz of Bielsk and Bishop Andrzej of Suprasław. In addition, the church was attended by invited guests: Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Bialystok Archbishop Jozef Guzdek, Podlaskie Voivode Jacek Brzozowski, Marshal of Podlaskie Voivodeship Lukasz Prokorim, President of Bialystok Tadeusz Truskolaski and Chairman of the Bialystok Voivodeship. City Councilwoman Katarzyna Jamroz
Before the Liturgy, Metropolitan Savva consecrated a plaque in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Orthodox Church in Poland receiving autocephaly. After the Liturgy, a prayer service was held, during which prayers of thanksgiving were offered for the 100th anniversary of the administrative independence of the Church in Poland. Poland.
According to him, Metropolitan Savva, among other things, said that he thanked St. Nicholas that he could be in Bialystok today. As he emphasized, we are all experiencing a special period, the Easter season, when we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, incomprehensible to human reason. It is a miracle upon miracles. The God-man Jesus did this to fulfill the covenant between fallen man Adam and God. Through Jesus' death, the covenant was renewed and humanity found a new relationship with its creator, God.
Today we live in the XXI century, - Metropolitan Savva continued, - and we understand the Resurrection in a different way. But the truth of his resurrection will last until his second coming, when there will be a new earth and a new heaven, when there will be a unification of mankind and the entire cosmos. Because we are a small cosmos, part of a small universe, and what happens through the Resurrection reflects on the whole cosmos. (...) There is a fresco in the capital's Hagia Sophia Cathedral depicting such an event as St. Nicholas Day beating Arius in the face with his fist. As Metropolitan Savva emphasized, this symbolically struck at human nature, which did not want to understand what the incarnation of God was. Whether one believes or does not believe in the resurrection, Christ gives the possibility of happiness here on earth and eternal happiness in heaven. It depends from us. This truth has educated many generations and may it strengthen us living in the 21st century. (...) Our ancestors, the Vislavs and Polans, adopted the Byzantine rite even earlier than Kiev, and the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius brought to our land the faith in the resurrection of Christ. This faith is preserved to this day, despite many difficulties, in our lands, including here in Podlasie. The head of the Orthodox Church in Poland urged those gathered to always glorify the name of God and to fight in the name of God against evil, which is very abundant in the world today.
As the Metropolitan noted, the Church itself has no borders. Its administrative boundaries were created only to facilitate the management of parishes, dioceses and metropolises. The essence of the Church is contained in the words of the Savior, who said that where two or three are gathered in my name, there I will be among them.
At the end of his speech, Metropolitan Savva addressed the host of the ceremony, Archbishop Jakub, thanking him for his efforts as Bishop of Bialystok. In recognition of his work and the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne of the Bialystok bishops, Metropolitan Savva awarded Archbishop Jakub with the Order of St. Mary Magdalene, 1st degree.
In his speech, Jacek Brzozowski, Voivode of Podlaskie, emphasized that we can talk for a long time about the importance of the Orthodox Christianity Church for Polish, and especially Podlaskie, traditions and culture. Its heritage is inextricably linked to our history. Its cultural wealth is the wealth of our homeland. The Voivode expressed his gratitude to the priests gathered here for their hard and difficult daily service and wished all the faithful of the Orthodox Church that it may constantly develop together with a free and independent Poland.
Jubilee wishes were also expressed by Marshal Lukasz Prokorim. He emphasized that the richness of the Podlaskie Voivodeship lies in its national, cultural and religious diversity. The Marshal expressed his joy that the Orthodox community of our region makes a great contribution to the realization of these values. He also assured that Podlaskie Voivodeship is a place where ecumenical values can be fully realized.
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Bialystok expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Jakub for the kindness shown during his visit to Bialystok two years ago, as well as for the friendship and normality in the relationship. On the occasion of the double anniversary, he wished Vladyka further fruitful cooperation between the two Churches, for, as he emphasized, there is still much to be done together. We must set an example to the world of unity and mutual respect, because that is what we are doing God and people expect from us. So let us continue to write this wonderful history of the Orthodox and Catholic Church here in the Podlaskie Voivodeship," added Archbishop Guzdek.
Archbishop Jakub warmly thanked the hierarchs present for praying together and the invited guests for participating in such an important event for the Bialystok Church.
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