| On
the
weekend
of
February
20-21,
2004,
His
Eminence,
Archbishop
NATHANIEL
and
His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU
traveled
to
Colleyville,
Texas,
for
the
consecration
of
the
new
church
of
the
parish
community
of
The
Falling
Asleep
of
the
Ever
Virgin
Mary. |
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| On
Friday
evening,
the
service
of
Vespers
was
celebrated
in
the
old
church
in
the
presence
of
His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU. |
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| Hierodeacon
Iustin
(Stoian)
censes
the
iconostas. |
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| His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU
looks
on. |
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| Wisdom!
Arise! |
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| Later
that
evening,
His
Eminence,
Archbishop
NATHANIEL
arrived
at
the
parish
and
inspected
the
completion
of
the
new
church. |
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| Workers
finish
installing
the
icons
on
the
iconostas
which
arrived
from
Romania
just
days
before. |
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| On
Saturday
morning,
the
clergy
went
in
procession
from
the
old
church
to
just
outside
the
doors
of
the
new
one,
carrying
the
holy
objects
that
will
be
placed
inside. |
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| V
Rev
Fr
Dumitru
Paun,
parish
priest,
carries
the
cross
in
the
procession. |
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| Hierarchs
participating
in
the
consecration
were
His
Eminence,
Archbishop
DMITRI
of
Dallas
(OCA
-
Diocese
of
the
South);
His
Eminence,
Archbishop
NATHANIEL;
and
His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU. |
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| Clergy
from
across
the
United
States
and
even
Romania
came
to
share
in
the
joy
of
the
Colleyville
community. |
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| One
of
the
processions
around
the
church. |
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| Bishop
IRINEU
anoints
the
outside
wall. |
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| V
Rev
Archimandrite
Dr
Mihail
(Filimon),
of
The
Ascension
of
the
Lord
Monastery
in
Detroit,
carries
the
Holy
Gospel
in
the
procession. |
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| His
Eminence
DMITRI
blesses
the
outer
wall
with
Holy
Water. |
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| The
hierarchs
approach
the
main
entrance
of
the
church. |
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| "Open
the
gates,
you
princes,
and
let
the
King
of
Glory
enter." |
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| Clergy
and
faithful
kneel
during
the
prayer
of
consecration. |
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| Archbishop
NATHANIEL
places
the
relics
in
the
sand-filled
main
pedestal
of
the
Holy
Altar
and
seals
them
inside
with
wax. |
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| The
top
of
the
Altar
is
set
in
place. |
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| Archbishop
DMITRI
places
an
icon
of
one
of
the
four
Evangelists
on
the
Southeast
corner
of
the
Altar
Table. |
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| His
Eminence
anoints
the
iconostas
and
inner
walls
of
the
church. |
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| At
the
conclusion
of
the
consecration
service,
the
faithful
are
given
a
rare
opportunity
to
enter
into
the
Holy
Altar
for
veneration.
At
this
time,
His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU
distributed
commemorative
icon
cards
to
those
in
attendance. |
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| Prior
to
the
beginning
of
the
Divine
Liturgy.
Catalin
Vasile
Tudora
was
blessed
by
His
Eminence
DMITRI
as
a
Reader
and
Subdeacon. |
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| Subdeacon
Catalin
was
ordained
to
the
Holy
Diaconate
by
His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU
during
the
Divine
Liturgy
the
next
day. |
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| The
hierarchs
read
their
prayers
during
the
singing
of
the
antiphon. |
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| "Lord,
Lord,
look
down
from
heaven;
visit
this
vine,
protect
what
Your
own
right
hand
has
planted." |
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| Hierodeacons
Iustin
(Stoian)
and
Sebastian
(Dumitraşcu)
proclaim
the
Holy
Gospel
in
the
English
and
Romanian
languages. |
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| "May
the
Lord
God
remember
your
episcopacy
in
His
kingdom,
always,
now
and
ever
and
unto
ages
of
ages." |
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| The
hierarchs
exchange
the
Kiss
of
Peace. |
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| "Again
we
offer
You
this
spiritual
and
bloodless
sacrifice,
and
we
call
on
You,
we
pray
and
humbly
supplicate
You:
Send
Your
Holy
Spirit
on
us
and
on
these
Gifts
here
offered." |
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| "And
make
this
bread
the
Precious
Body
of
Your
Christ....And
that
which
is
in
this
chalice,
the
Precious
Blood
of
your
Christ....Changing
them
by
Your
Holy
Spirit." |
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| "Approach,
with
the
fear
of
God,
with
faith
and
with
love." |
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| His
Eminence
NATHANIEL
preaching
at
the
conclusion
of
the
Liturgy. |
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| His
Eminence
DMITRI
offers
his
thanks
to
Archbishop
NATHANIEL
for
the
invitation
to
join
the
community
on
this
occasion,
and
offers
the
sincere
congratulations
of
the
entire
Diocese
of
the
South
of
The
Orthodox
Church
in
America. |
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| His
Grace,
Bishop
IRINEU
preaches
to
the
faithful
on
the
significance
of
the
"consecrating"
of
a
church. |
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| Fr
Paun
offers
gifts
of
icons
to
the
hierarchs
in
remembrance
of
the
occasion. |
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| Archbishop
NATHANIEL
recognizes
the
labor
and
dedication
of
Fr
Paun
and
his
family
since
coming
to
the
parish,
in
just
short
time
erecting
such
a
magnificent
structure
for
the
spiritual
welfare
of
the
Romanian
Orthodox
community
in
the
Dallas
area. |
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| The
serving
clergy
in
front
of
the
iconostas. |
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| A
group
photo
of
those
still
present
following
the
services. |
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| The
hierarchs
with
members
of
the
organizing
committee
from
the
parish. |
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| The
hierarchs
with
Fr
Paun
and
his
family:
Psa
Gladiola,
Cipriana,
Mihai
and
Ştefania. |
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| A
festive
banquet
attended
by
hundreds
of
faithful
was
offered
in
the
parish
hall. |
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| Fr
Paun
thanks
everyone
for
their
efforts
in
making
the
construction
of
the
church
possible,
and
shares
his
optimism
for
the
continued
growth
and
spiritual
development
of
the
community. |
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| Archbishop
NATHANIEL
with
V
Rev
Fr
Constantin
Tofan,
chairman
of
the
ROEA
Department
of
Missions,
and
Constantine
Nan,
past
president
of
The
American
Romanian
Orthodox
Youth,
who
now
resides
in
Texas. |
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| His
Eminence,
Archbishop
NATHANIEL
and
parish
clergy
together
with
Dan
Hoarşte,
National
AROY
President,
John
E
Lazar,
National
AROY
Vice-president,
and
members
of
Dallas
AROY,
the
local
chapter
of
The
American
Romanian
Orthodox
Youth. |
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