Homily to the Two Saints Demetrius [26 and 27, October 2011]

Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Saints are surprises…and not expectations in the Church…although the Church is the one that born Saints.

Saints are born in the Church, in relation with God and on the measure of intensityof this relation they are surprises, there are people who surpass expectations.

The young governor Demetrius (commemorated on 26 october throughout the Orthodox Church) was killed by poke him with lances. The reason? Simple: his orthodox identity.

He was killed for that he did not sacrifice to the gods. And how could he sacrifice to the gods, if those are fantasies of demons?

He exceeded expectations…because he loved God more than his own life.

His Holy Relics, of Saint Demetrius, who lived in the III century after Christ, are atThessaloniki or Salonika.

But, in Romania, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest, are the Holy Relics ofSaint Demetrius Basarabov. And even now, thousands of pilgrims expect to worship at his reliquary.

Saint Great Martyr Demetrius, the Myrrh Bearer…and Saint Pious Demetrius Basarabov or the New, the second being from Bulgaria.

And namely a greek and a bulgarian are Saints whom we celebrate in these days inluminous mode.

But in comparison with the first, the second Demetrius was his village’s cowboy…and, later, he became hermit.

And the Church does not honor them as Saints because the one was governor and another hermit, but because they both lived and died orthodox.

The fidelity, the faithfulness to God is the main reason for their canonization. For that, as in marriage, what matters is inner unity, fidelity of the spouses, which does not make them separate from each other.

In Bucharest, in addition, is, in these days, and the head of Saint Apostle Andrew, brought by a delegation of Patras, Greece.

And after 2000 years, the Evangelizer of romanians comes first in Bucharest, through his Holy Relics!

Therefore the joy is immense in the hearts of believers. Because the believers feel the Saints as the most necessary of their joy.

Saint Demetrius the New or from Bucharest died as a stranger, between two stones. The water of river was taken off his Holy Relics at sight.

And both Saints did countless miracles over time and they do and now. Therefore are surprising, ie wonderful in our eyes.

Are surprising as life, as God’s mercy, as holiness. Because the life with God is a continuous miracle, a constantly emphasizing of new joy and understanding.

And our prayer to them should fill us with the surprising joy of divine grace andmore peace.

For that the purpose of communion with the Saints is their following. And we follow the Saints in our measure and our interior rhythm.

But through all what we do…we must feel that we approach the Saints and that they are our friends.

And the two Saints Demetrius are friend’s the believers, the zealous, of thosedetermined for an everlasting love of God.

Therefore, we also may be their friends! To be their friends through spiritualbeauty and purity. Amen!

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