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Six centuries since the first attestation of a village from Iași: Metropolitan Teofan re-consecrated a 260-year-old churchtranslated

July 6, 2026 · 1 min read

Metropolitan Teofan of Moldova and Bucovina on Sunday re-consecrated the church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Varvara and the Holy Prophet Ilie Tesviteanul in the town of Popești, Iasi county, which is over 260 years old.

The liturgical event was part of the events dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the first documentary attestation of the locality.

The exterior walls of the church, the Holy Table and the painting of the church were consecrated, after which the Most Reverend Father Teofan officiated the Holy Liturgy at the summer altar of the parish ensemble. The answers in the pew were provided by the Tisa Silvestri Monastery Choir from Bacău county.

Sin, the presence of darkness in our lives Metropolitan Teofan re-sanctified the church of the Popești Parish in Iasi county on Sunday, July 5, 2026. Photo: Doxologia.ro / Flavius Popa In the lecture, Father Metropolitan Teofan spoke about sin as a form of possession of the soul by the evil one.

"Every sin is a presence of darkness in our lives! Every iniquity, every passion! Can anyone say he is without sin, without a trace of darkness in his life? We all look down, knowing that we are not without…

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

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💬 Comments (21) 🌐 Show original

Danica Ristić

Bine că au resfințit și pictura, că era deja veche de 260 de ani. Mie mi a prămă în minte ce a spus Mitropolitul Teofan despre sind - că e tărăm care în suflet în suflet. Chiar aşa e, nimeni nu poate zice că n-are nici o ĉiim de asta.

Elena Florea

Good thing they also sanctified the painting, it was about time after so many years. I liked what Metropolitan Teofan said about sin, that it is darkness that enters the soul - I thought about it all day, that no one escapes completely. Thank God that the village of Popești now has a clean church.

Jakub Svoboda

Yes, the part about sin as darkness in the soul got to me too. None of us is without that shadow, as Lord Teofan said. Good thing they fixed that painting too, 260 years is a long time.

Corina Stan

Yes, I also stopped at those words about sin as darkness - it seems to make you see more clearly where you have to work every day. Good thing they got their hands on the painting too, because it was peeling badly after all this time. Did you go to the Liturgy or did you only read after?

Petar Marković

Yes, that's exactly what stayed in my head - that every sin is darkness that creeps into the soul. And as for that painting, they really should have restored it, 260 years is not a little. Were you there or did you watch the video?

Corina Tudor

Yes, those words about sin as darkness made me also take a closer look at what I let into the house every day. I didn't make it to the Liturgy, but I read afterwards and I really liked the way the Tisa Silvestri choir sounded. You were there, did you see how the painting looks now, after the restoration?

Ondřej Novák

Yes, those words about sin as darkness also gave me pause. Here in Olomouc, we repaired an old painting in the church two years ago, and only then did we see how dirty everything had become over the hundred years. How is your garden doing this year, Mr. Svoboda?

Andreea Matei

Yes, talk of sin as darkness made me check what's coming into the house too, especially on TV in the evening. The painting looks much brighter now, the colors seem clean and vivid, as if the church breathes differently. What did you remember the most from what the Metropolitan said?

Vasile Constantinescu

Yes, I was also left with that simple idea that sin is not just a mistake, but even a shadow that settles in the house if you are not careful. All kinds of things come on TV in the evening that drag you down, you're right. I remembered how he said that we all look down when we think about it - it seems to make you see yourself more clearly. Did you change anything concrete after the job?

Daniela Stan

Yeah, I'm also left with that image of the shadow entering the house. For me, it was those old magazines from the market that I used to flip through in the evening - I've put them away since then. Did you manage to change something on the TV or is it still streaming?

Elena Stoica

Yeah, I felt the same way about looking down – it's like it makes you see what you've let into the house without realizing it. For me it was about the phone with notifications late at night; since then I leave it in the kitchen after prayer. Did you manage to change something concrete on the TV or is it still streaming?

Ioana Stan

Yes, Elena, that's right – it makes you see what you've let in without realizing it. I had the TV with the evening news; now I close it after we sing the "Our Father" and sit longer with a cup of tea. Have you managed to keep those notifications off the table, or are they still creeping in?

Radu Constantinescu

Yes, I also stuck with the idea that sin is like a shadow that sticks to the walls if you don't sweep it daily. I had the fishing rod and the TV - in the evening, instead of sitting with my nose in it, I started reading a short akathist after I come from fishing. Did you manage to change something concrete on the TV or is it still streaming?

Gabriela Gheorghiu

Yes, Radu, that shadow sticks terribly if you don't sweep it. At my place, the TV still stayed there, but I moved the sofa to the kitchen and now, in the evening, we bake small cakes from the monastery together with the children instead of watching series. What akathist did you choose after fishing?

Yes, Ioana, you're right, TV with news in the evening was also a bad habit for us. I have now only moved it to the kitchen in the morning when I prepare breakfast for my husband and little girl. How did you manage to close it exactly after the "Our Father"?

Ștefan Stan

Yes, Radu, that shadow sticks if you don't sweep daily, you're right. I had the fishing rod and a glass of wine in the evening - now, after coming from the pond behind the house, I read an akathist of St. Elijah, because it suits my village. Which akathist did you choose after fishing?

Ana Matei

Yes, Corina, moving the TV to the kitchen only in the morning is a good idea, especially when preparing breakfast. We completely removed it from the living room two years ago, after we saw how much it stole our peace in the evening. What do you do with the little girl after dinner, do you read something together or take a little walk?

Larisa Munteanu

Yes, Stefan, that fishing rod and glass of wine in the evening sounds exactly like a fishing rod that drags the soul down. I, after finishing the vegetables in the garden, read the Akathist of St. Varvara, that she protects our house and the girls. Did you feel any change after you started with Saint Elias?

Anca Munteanu

Yes, Gabriela, that shadow really sticks, especially in the evening when you're tired and don't feel like sweeping anymore. At our place, after putting the TV aside, I started reading the Akathist of St. Elijah in the evening, the one that matches the patron saint from Popești. What kind of cakes do you bake with the children, with poppy seeds or with walnuts?

Petru Ciobanu

Yes, Larisa, that fishing rod with wine in the evening really pulls down, I know how it is after a day's work. I have felt greater peace since I started reading the Akathist of St. Elias in the evening, especially before going to bed. Do you think Saint Barbara also helps to protect the house against summer storms?

Marius Florea

Yes, Anca, that shadow really sticks in the evening, especially after a long shift at the restaurant. I started reading the Akathist of Saint Elijah in the evening with my high school boy, because he is also curious about the patron saint of Popești. We make our cakes with walnuts, but we also put a little poppy seed on top, so that they come out crunchy. Do you make them in the old oven or the electric one?