Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia enthroned in Chișinău, calls for unity and shared mission

His Eminence Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia was enthroned on Sunday, July 12, in Chișinău in the presence of several hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Romanian Secretary of State for Religious Affairs Ciprian Olinici, and senior officials from the Republic of Moldova, who attended the Divine Liturgy and enthronement ceremony held at the Church of the Holy Three Hierarchs and the Life-Giving Spring.

The service was presided over by Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina. Concelebrating were Archbishop Casian of Lower Danube, Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Bishop Ignatie of Huși, Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, as well as Assistant Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani of the Archdiocese of Iași, Assistant Bishop Nectarie of Bogdania of the Archdiocese of Chișinău, and Assistant Bishop Teofil of Trotuș of the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău.

After Archbishop Casian read the Patriarchal Gramata, Metropolitan Teofan, acting as the representative of Patriarch Daniel, presented the new Metropolitan of Bessarabia with the mantle, pectoral cross, engolpion, black kamilavka bearing a cross, and episcopal staff—the insignia of the…