On September 1, 2024, on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the local community of San Lorenzo di Sedegliano experienced a moment of great spiritual and social significance. The Christian Orthodox parishes of Saints Mina the Megalomartyr and Efrem the Neomartyr – the Miracle Workers, and the Christian Catholic parish of San Lorenzo Martyr, together with the Social Promotion Association Comunità Rigenerativa, joined forces to organize the event titled “Hope, Pray, and Act for Our Common Home, Creation.” This meeting represented not only an opportunity for prayer but also an invitation to concrete action for the protection of our planet.
Union of Faiths and Communities
The event began with a warm welcome from the faithful of the Christian Orthodox parish, who hosted members of the Christian Catholic parish in their church and parish park. In a deep spirit of brotherhood, the two communities came together to celebrate a solemn Orthodox Vespers and Artoklasia service, during which prayers were offered for the preservation of Creation. The ceremony, led by the Very Reverend Protopresbyter Petru Filipescu in Italian, was a moment of intense spirituality, enriched by evocative Byzantine chants and the participation of over 60 faithful from both parishes.
Messages of Hope and Responsibility
After the religious service, the focus shifted to the crucial issue of climate change. An informative video, shown in the parish refectory, illustrated the urgency of acting against the global threats to our environment. The video, created for the event, highlighted that “the collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon” if immediate action is not taken. It also emphasized how “the Earth has become so fragile that we cannot subject the planet to the tortures we can now inflict.” The message was clear: “If we do not protect nature, we cannot protect ourselves.” In the second part, the words of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, known as the “Green Patriarch,” resonated strongly throughout the day. He stated that “climate change is a profoundly religious, even spiritual, issue.” The Patriarch reminded everyone that the environmental crisis is not just a political or economic issue but a challenge that concerns the very essence of our existence and our faith. “It matters to people and all creatures, and therefore it matters to God, their living Creator.”
The Very Reverend Protopresbyter Dionisio Vidigh, the servant priest, reiterated the importance of concrete action alongside prayer, inviting all present to live their faith through daily gestures of respect and protection for the environment.
Deacon Andrea Meneguzzi, a representative of the Catholic parish of San Lorenzo, emphasized that the issue of safeguarding creation is, first and foremost, a spiritual and religious responsibility: “Every act against this world is an act against the designer of this world.”
The Very Reverend Protopresbyter Petru Filipescu, the Orthodox parish priest, expressed gratitude for the collaboration between the various ecclesial and civil realities, highlighting the importance of projects such as the Garden of the Mother of God and the Eco-school, which testify to the Orthodox parish’s commitment to promoting an integral ecology. During his speech, the parish priest gratefully recalled the blessing and support received from His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Polikarpos, Orthodox Archbishop of Italy, and His Excellency, the Most Reverend Athenagoras Fasiolo, Bishop of Terme, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolis, who were instrumental in the success of these initiatives.
Mentioning the “Community in Bloom Festival,” an annual event organized by the Orthodox parish, now in its fourth edition, he invited everyone to the next event. This initiative, along with the Eco-school, demonstrates the community’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainability and environmental education. The Eco-school, in particular, has received great appreciation for its manual “From Creation to Compost – Creation Explained to Children,” which teaches children the importance of caring for Creation.
A Concrete and Shared Commitment
The event also saw the participation of Presbytera Luiza Filipescu, president of the “Comunità Rigenerativa” Association, who urged the faithful to recognize their dual responsibility as believers and citizens. She reminded everyone that the protection of creation is not only a spiritual but also a civil duty and thanked the involved communities for their commitment.
The meeting also saw the presence of Mr. Fabio Gallici, one of the founders of Christian ecological projects in the Orthodox Parish, whose participation added further value to the event, demonstrating the importance of support from key figures in the field of ecology and ecosustainability.
A Small Step for a Big Change
One aspect that contributed to making this day special was the generosity shown by the Consortium for the Protection of Montasio Cheese, which donated the Montasio cheese for the refreshment. This gesture allowed all participants to taste typical Friulian, Greek, and Romanian delicacies, including frico Frico Friulan, various Greek pies, Romanian eggplant salad, and vegetable salsa, all prepared with produce from the Regenerative Garden – Garden of the Mother of God. This convivial moment symbolized the union of culinary traditions from different cultures in the name of a common cause.
The convivial meeting confirmed how collaboration between different communities can give rise to concrete initiatives for the protection of our planet. This small but significant event demonstrated that faith and civic action can intertwine, giving rise to a common commitment for the good of the “common home” that is our Creation.
The day of September 1st was a tangible example of how faith and civic action can intertwine, giving rise to a common commitment for the good of the “common home” that is our Creation. And this is just the beginning: the community has already planned further events to continue this mission, including the next edition of the “Community in Bloom Festival” and the reopening of the Eco-school in November, which will see an even larger participation of children and families, all united for the protection of Creation. Additionally, monthly reflection meetings and ecological workshops are planned for adults and children, aimed at further raising community awareness of the need to act for the protection of the environment. The photographic service was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Valentin Gheorghiță.
Together, the communities of San Lorenzo di Sedegliano have sent a clear and powerful message: hope, pray, and act because the time to act is now.
