The members of the Orthodox Episcopal Assembly of Benelux addressed a message on the occasion of the Feast of Orthodoxy (Sunday of Orthodoxy), which has been celebrated since 1983 with the joint participation of all representatives of the various Orthodox people in Brussels in Belgium and recently in Rotterdam for the Orthodox of the Netherlands.
In addition, Orthodox con-celebrations have been holding in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 2014.
Due to the fact that it is not possible to celebrate together with the faithful this year, the hierarchs-members of the Orthodox Episcopal Assembly of Benelux want to express unity through their message.
“The Feast of Orthodoxy, also known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy, is the day of victory and triumph of the Orthodox Church. It is a day of resurrection. The joy of restoration is expressed through hymns, festive gatherings, and the procession of icons. This day of Orthodoxy also has an important secret nature because it is also a day of contemplation and introspection and we ponder on how we can head towards the light in today’s world,” they said.
“Due to the pandemic, we are going through a difficult time in relation to the expression of our faith and our daily life. Doctors and all health workers are men and women who bravely and selflessly sacrifice themselves in the fight against the virus and are constantly a part of our thoughts and prayers. We owe them gratitude,” they added.
They stressed: “In the meantime, we must continue to protect ourselves by respecting the current precautionary measures. We pray and hope that God will be giving everyone the strength to get through this ordeal. We join our prayers and wish you a blessed period of repentance and purification during the time of Lent!”
“We are already inviting you to the Inter-Orthodox Hierarchical Con-celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in 2022 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Archangels in Brussels and to the Orthodox con-celebration that will be held at the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Rotterdam,” they concluded in the message.