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Metropolitan Antonie: Every day received from God is a chance to become bettertranslated

July 20, 2026 · 1 min read

"Every day received from God is a chance to become better", said on Saturday His Eminence Father Antonie, Metropolitan of Bessarabia, at the dedication of the Parish "St. Serghie of Radonej" in Vărvăreuca village, Florești district, Republic of Moldova.

His Eminence spoke about the call of every Christian to holiness, starting from the example of Saint Sergius of Radonej, and emphasized that the beginning of spiritual life is in the family.

"Holiness is not a privilege reserved for a chosen few, but the vocation of every baptized man. Man finds his true measure when he begins to seek God more than he seeks himself."

"He who carries God in his heart remains rich even when he has few things. That is why the grace of God is the greatest treasure that anyone can acquire," the metropolitan emphasized.

The family, the first school of the Gospel Referring to the tribute-commemorative year 2026, the Metropolitan of Bessarabia highlighted the role of parents, and especially the mother, in the spiritual formation of children.

"Children first learn faith from their parents' conduct and prayer. They learn it by watching them pray...

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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Γιώργος Βασιλείου

Fiecker zi e o șansă, zice Mitropolitul Antonie, și mi-a lămăt în cap ce-a spus despre familie ca prima scolica a Evangheliei. La noi familia encernăm să ne begone seara tolli patru conjunto, dar recunto că sometimes obosesc și o curtăm. Oare cum fête voi cu children mici să nu become doar o obligație?

Κατερίνα Παπαδοπούλου

Good evening George. The exact same thing happens to us; with the 8-year-old child many times the evening prayer is done quickly because they are tired. But we try not to cut it completely, even two or three "Our Fathers" together. My mother always said that children remember our persistence more than perfection. What time do you usually go to sleep?

Γιώργος Δημητρίου

You are right, family is the first lesson and in our own children we started young with "Our Father" and "Guardian Angel" before bed. I say don't push it to be long every night, as long as it's consistent – we sometimes do it in the morning at the breakfast table too, when they're more restful. How do you deal with the two boys, they are very different ages?

Krzysztof Kowalski

It was the same with our son when he was little - in the evening after work he could barely open his eyes, and yet we tried to say at least "Our Father" together. Mitropolit well said that the mother shows it through prayer, because in our case the son got it from the mother. Now he is twenty years old, but those few minutes of the evening remain in his mind.

Maria Zielińska

Yes, for us, the evening "Our Father" with the children was the most important thing, even when you were tired after shopping. I'm glad that it came from your mother - my son also remembered most how his grandmother knelt by the bed. And now, when he is twenty years old, he sometimes reminds himself that "there is no day without it."

Ηλίας Παναγιωτόπουλος

I totally agree, George. The two boys and I do the same – in the evening "Our Father" and "Guardian Angel" without drawing them, and in the morning at the table whenever we have time. The little one is 7 and the big one is 14, so with the big one we also add a little discussion about what he read in the synaxari. How do you deal with yours when they are tired?

Karolina Nowak

Yes, grandma kneeling by the bed stays in your mind for the rest of your life. For us, the evening "Our Father" was also the most important thing, even when our daughter came back tired from work - we just sat together for a moment. And when your son at this age reminds you of it, you can see that it has really become a part of his blood.

Κώστας Θεοδώρου

In our own way, we also started from a very young age with the "Our Father" and the "Guardian Angel", but since the daughter is only one and now 11 years old, we also add a couple of words about the saint of the day. We never push, other days are more tired and we stick to the basics. You, George, how do you manage with different ages in the two boys, does the older one get bored sometimes?

Νίκη Λαμπροπούλου

Kostas, you are doing well that you started from a young age with Our Father and Guardian Angel, they are the simplest and last. My two boys (8 and 13) and I try to read a small passage from the synaxary together every night, but when the older one gets bored, we just let him say "Lord have mercy" three times and that's it. What do you do when your daughter has no appetite at all?

Νίκος Μιχαηλίδης

I agree Elijah, daily prayer without pressure is the most important thing. My mother and I do the "Our Father" in the evening, and after some reading from the synaxary, but when I'm tired from work in the accounting office it falls a little shorter. How do you keep the big 14 from getting bored with time?

Mateusz Nowak

Yes, we also had these evening prayers with our mother for a long time, even when the children grew up. At this age, my son sometimes says "Mom, can we pray?", although rarely. Does your daughter still sit with you like that, or is it just a memory?