On Saturday, January 11, Bishop Nectarie Petre will be enthroned as the first Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Ireland and Iceland. The event will take place at the Saint Columba Church of the Dublin II Parish.
The enthronement will occur after the Divine Liturgy. Many hierarchs are expected to attend, including Metropolitan Iosif, head of the Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe, to which the new diocese of Ireland belongs, and Hon Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Târgoviște and Patriarchal Exarch, who will represent Patriarch Daniel at the event.
A representative of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Ireland (Ecumenical Patriarchate) and the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Geoffrey St Aubyn Jackson, confirmed their participation. According to Fr. Ioan Pitușcan, a cleric at the diocesan chapel in Dublin, representatives of the Romanian Embassy in Dublin and other authorities will also be present.
The Newest Romanian Hierarch to Be Enthroned in Dublin
Bishop Nectarie is the newest member of the Holy Synod. He was ordained a bishop in September 2023 and served as an assistant bishop for the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe, which included the jurisdiction of the newly established Diocese of Ireland and Iceland.
Upon his election as bishop of Ireland and Iceland, Bishop Nectarie stated, “At the beginning of this journey, I can say nothing but, Lord, help me to fulfill Your will and work in Your Holy Church.”
He also shared that he has already grown fond of the communities in the new diocese and has a deep reverence for Saint Patrick, the Enlightener of Ireland.
The Need for a Diocese
The Diocese of Ireland and Iceland was established last year, along with the Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to better serve the growing number of Romanian Orthodox Christians in these areas. Ireland officially has over 50,000 Romanians, but other estimates suggest the number could be double. In Iceland, there are approximately 2,800 Romanians.
“This decision by the Synod is a source of joy for us, and we are confident that the establishment of these new dioceses will optimize pastoral care in the region,” said Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe at the time.
“We wish to congratulate the clergy and faithful in Great Britain, Ireland, and Iceland and thank them for their efforts thus far in achieving this spiritual goal.”
A Good News, Not Only for Romanians
“The enthronement of Bishop Nectarie as the bishop of the newly established Diocese of Ireland and Iceland is a recognition of the vitality and growth of the Romanian community in general and of Romanian Orthodox Christians in particular,” Laurențiu-Mihai Ștefan, Romanian Ambassador to Ireland, told Basilica.ro.
The ambassador added that Saturday’s event “crowns decades of efforts by Romanian Orthodox priests who tirelessly serve in parishes in Dublin and other major Irish cities. ”
“In the past year, Orthodox pastoral care has extended beyond the Romanian and Moldovan communities in Ireland with the establishment of the parish of Saint Brendan the Navigator and Saint Joseph the New from Partoș. Therefore, the enthronement of Bishop Nectarie as Bishop of Ireland and Iceland is good news not only for Romanians in Ireland but also for the entire Orthodox community in this country.”
Next Enthronement in London
The enthronements of new Romanian bishops elected last year began with the smaller diocese. Soon, a similar ceremony will be held in London, where Bishop Atanasie Rusnac will be enthroned as the first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
Source: basilica.ro
