Utrenia – The Transfer of St. John the Apostle

On this day we commemorate: Saint Neagoe Basarab, Prince of Wallachia; Saint Platonida of Argeș (formerly Despina Milița, wife of Saint Neagoe Basarab, Prince of Wallachia); the Dormition of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist; the Righteous Gideon; Saint Hira the Martyr; The Transfer of the Icon of the Mother of God from Iviron to Georgi.

The commemoration of the Dormition of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist brings to mind the figure of “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” the apostle who remained at the Savior’s side until the Cross and who powerfully testified to the divinity of Christ. The son of Zebedee and brother of Saint James the Apostle, John was called by Christ from a young age and became one of His closest disciples. He witnessed the Transfiguration, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Lord’s Passion, and after the Resurrection he fearlessly proclaimed the Gospel.

Saint John is the author of one of the four Gospels, three canonical epistles, and the Book of Revelation, and his writings are permeated by a call to love, faith, and communion with God. Church tradition acknowledges him as the apostle of love, for his entire life and preaching centered on the commandment to love God and one’s neighbor. At the end of his life, after a long apostolic ministry, he passed away to the Lord, remaining for the Church a model of faith, courage, and love.

The commemoration of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist urges us to draw near to Christ with the same love and trust, to uphold the truth of the Gospel, and to make love the foundation of our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings.

We warmly welcome you to the Chapel of the Saint Thecla Foundation, in a warm and welcoming setting!