Firefighters gather at Partoș Monastery to honour St Joseph the New

Firefighters from Timiș County gathered at Partoș Monastery on Tuesday to honour St Joseph the New of Partoș, Romania’s spiritual protector of firefighters.

On the saint’s feast day , Timiș firefighters prayed for protection and help in carrying out their missions, and to be kept safe from danger.

“Today, we thank him for his protection and pray that he may guide our steps, strengthen us in our missions and keep us safe from danger,” representatives of the Timiș County Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said .

St Joseph the New of Partoș’s connection with firefighters stems from a miracle recorded by Church tradition in 1653, when a major fire threatened the old fortress of Timișoara. According to tradition, the saint prayed before the flames, and God sent rain, saving the city.

In 1997, Government Decision No. 492/1997 officially established 13 September as Romanian Firefighters’ Day .

The day commemorates the battle of 13 September 1848, when military firefighters from Bucharest, led by Captain Pavel Zăgănescu, joined Romanian soldiers in confronting Ottoman troops at Dealul Spirii.

Photo: Facebook / ISU Timiș