The feast of Saint Hierarch Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople and Metropolitan of Wallachia, was celebrated in Târgovişte during the events that took place on 10th and 11th of August 2023, under the coordination of Archbishop and Metropolitan Nifon.
The event was attended by more than 20,000 pilgrims from all over the Archdiocese and the country.
The Vespers service was celebrated on Thursday, the 10th of August, and then it was followed by the Youth Pilgrimage of the Archdiocese of Târgovişte at the historical center of the city. On this occasion, the procession of the holy relics of Saint Hierarch Niphon took place, which was attended by more than 4,000 young people, schoolchildren and students, from different parishes.
Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Târgovişte, celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the 11th of August. The Divine liturgy was concelebrated by Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Metropolitan Nektarios of Kition and Exarch of Larnaca (Church of Cyprus), Father Veniamin, Bishop of Southern Bessarabia, Father Sebastian, Bishop of Slatina and Romanați and Father Nestor, Bishop of Deva and Hunedoara.
Metropolitan Nifon launched the new volumes which were printed for this occasion, like every year, by the Archdiocesan Publishing House “Stolnicus Constantin Cantacuzino” – a diplomat, politician and advocate of the Church’s mission through culture; The Târgovişte printed books of St. Hierarch Martyr Antim Ivireanul and Radu Mihnea – voivode, promoter of Christian values, as well as the missionary booklets for young people entitled “Music in the Mission of the Orthodox Church” and “The Age of Wisdom and of the fruits of Faith”.
The main aim of the above is to convey the Orthodox Church’s message to the Romanian educational system, in order to encourage young people to study and learn science. Metropolitan Nifon awarded the students who obtained the first prizes of the 2022-2023 School Olympiads and Contests, as well as the grade 10 in the National Evaluation and Baccalaureate, together with their mentor teachers.
This year, the relics of St. Hierarch Niphon were displayed for veneration as well the relics of the Holy Martyr Voivode Constantin Brâncoveanu and of St. Hierarch Calinic of Cernica.
