St. Antim Ivireanul, celebrated in Râmnicu Vâlcea: The word is a bridge between people and peoples, says IPS Varsanufietranslated

"The word, sanctified by love, becomes a bridge of communion between people and between peoples", Archbishop Varsanufie of Râmniciu emphasized on Sunday, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Antimus Ivireanul, the patron of the diocese.

His Eminence celebrated the Holy Liturgy in Râmnicu Vâlcea, together with His Eminence Father Teodor, Metropolitan of Akhaltzike and Tao Klarjeti, from the Orthodox Church of Georgia.

The Archbishop of Râmnicu showed that the arrival of Saint Antimus the Ivirean in Wallachia became "one of those blessed meetings of history with the work of God".

"Born in Georgia, in the blessed land of Uda, Saint Antim would be torn by hostile times from the bosom of his homeland, separated from his parental home and passed through the bitterness of slavery. And yet, what seemed to be a break in his life would turn into a call to holiness, in the midst of a people to whom he would offer his priceless gifts."

"The road of Saint Antimus, from Ude to Constantinople, from Constantinople to Wallachia, can be contemplated as a road through which God collected, in a wonderful way, the gifts of a son of Georgia and made them...