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The service should be accompanied by a change of heart: PS Benedict served in his native land with his father after the bodytranslated

July 6, 2026 · 1 min read

His Holiness Father Benedict, the Bishop of Sălaj, served last Saturday at the "Resurrection of the Lord" Church in Brăzești, a branch of the Orthodox Parish in Sartăș, Alba county, the native land of the hierarch. The priest Ioan Vesa, the parish priest from Sartăș and the hierarch's father, was part of the council.

The Bishop of Sălaj was greeted by the community in the sound of tulnic, specific to the area of the Apuseni Mountains, and the Mass was attended by citizens in traditional attire specific to the Country of Moți. The liturgical responses were given by the vocal group "Synavlia" from Cluj-Napoca.

In the teaching speech, the hierarch explained that Christ is not looking for people without mistakes, but hearts that hear His call and have the courage to radically change their lives: "The Lord goes directly to such a character, and does not give him explanations, does not tell him special things, but only this: Come after Me. And he goes".

"Every time I hear this text, I think what power the word of God must have had for that man, to determine him so simply, without argument, to change his life radically, to stop doing injustices, to stop stealing, to stop living his life in the same conditions", a...

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

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Olivia Lewis

It must have been something special to see Bishop Benedict serving alongside his own father in the very village where he grew up. The part about Christ simply saying “Follow me” to the tax collector and that being enough to change everything really stuck with me. No long speeches, just that quiet power.

Елена Лебедева

Yes, și pe mine m-a impresionat cum a subliniat vlădica Benedict că Domnul nu caută omul fără de păcat, ci inima care ascultă chemarea. Cuvântul acela simplu „Vino după Mine” și vameșul lasă totul – parcă văd cum s-a ridicat de la masă. Frumos că a slujit alături de tatăl său în satul natal, cu tulnicele alea și oamenii în costume de moți.

Πέτρος Λαμπρόπουλος

Și pe mine m-a prins momenta cu papa său, preotul Ioan Vesa, slujind în satul natal. Cuvintele alea simple „Vino după Mine” și vameșul care lasă totul mi-au adus aminte de un pescar old de la noi care a lès năvoadele când a austut chemarea. O beautiful slujbă, cu tulnice și straie moțești, exact cum trebuie să fie.

George Miller

Yes, that line about the tax collector really hit me too — just "Follow me" and he drops everything. Seeing the bishop serve with his own father in Brăzești must have made it even more moving for the locals. Did you notice how the tulnic welcome tied it all back to the Apuseni Mountains?

Тамара Иванова

Yes, it was precisely this part about “Bino after Me” that I remembered - without much persuasion, and the person just gets up and leaves. Here in Yaroslavl, too, sometimes they sing “Synavlia” at services, their voices are clear, like theirs. Have you been to the areas where he served with his father?

Emily Young

Yeah, that "Follow me" moment always gets me too — no big speech, just the call and Levi walks away from the money table. The tulnic welcome in the Apuseni Mountains was a nice touch; it made the whole thing feel rooted in the actual place where the bishop grew up. Did you catch what the vocal group from Cluj added to the responses?

Αντώνης Αντωνίου

I was also touched that you mentioned the fisherman. Here in Volos I often see old fishermen who leave their nets for a while when it is time for the service. Truly, how simple was Christ's call, without many words. How do you think that voice sounds today?