Their Eminences Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije, Archbishop of Zadar and Šibenik and Metropolitan of Dalmatia Nikodim, and Archbishop and Metropolitan of Buda and Administrator of Timisoara Lucian today, October 12, celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord in Timisoara, during which the solemn act of canonization of the Holy Confessor Cyril of Bezdino and Dalmatia-Bokalia was performed, who was canonized as a saint at this year's session of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the date of celebration October 12/September 29.

The clergy and monastics from several dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church concelebrated in the prayerful presence of the faithful.

At the small entrance, with the singing of troparions, the icon of Saint Cyril of Bezdinski was brought to the hierarchs from the narthex of the church, which symbolically represents the acceptance of the cult of holiness that originated precisely from the people who were the first to recognize and glorify the saint at the local level. Then, Metropolitan Nikodim, secretary of the Council, read the charter of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which was issued on the occasion of the canonization by the head of the Council of our Church, His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, as a testimony to the addition of the archangel Cyril to the image of saints.

After the reading of the Charter, the Magnificat to Saint Cyril was sung. Metropolitan Lucian incensed the icon, and then Metropolitan Joanikije blessed the assembled people.

At the end of the Liturgy, next to the relics of the new saint and confessor of the faith, Cyril of Bezdino and Dalmatia-Bokale, the slava gifts were blessed and a cake was cut in his honor.

Then, His Eminence Metropolitan Lucian congratulated the new saint of God, who has been revered and celebrated as a saint for years at the local level by both Serbs and Romanians, and thanked his brother hierarchs for coming and participating in this solemn act, reminding them that they come from dioceses that are intertwined in the life of Saint Cyril of Bezdino and Dalmatia-Bokale.

“Here is another light in the firmament of heaven, here is another star that will shine until the end of the world and the end of time! This saint from our family, by coincidence of historical circumstances, but aware of the sacrifice he is making, could have done otherwise but did not want to, he suffered for his faith. I would especially like to emphasize that here among us are his relatives from Baošić – Boka Kotorska, from the region where he is from. And Dalmatia is where the Orthodox faith had to be preserved in times of trouble and famine, there he preserved Orthodoxy and suffered for the Orthodox faith,” the Bishop said.

Speaking about the newly-resurrected Saint, the confessor of Bezdin and Dalmatia-Boka, he recalled that he was condemned to eternal imprisonment, and as such was exiled to these regions, where he rested in the Bezdin Monastery, where, near the monastery church, he was buried without any marker, because according to the then secular law, a prisoner, and he was a prisoner and suffered for his faith, should not have his resting place known.

However, as the Bishop said, God’s providence willed otherwise: There is God’s law, and there is man’s. Man’s laws change now this way, now that way, but God’s law is the one that is from now on and forever.”

Then, as a commemoration of this day, the Metropolitan of Buda and the Administrator of Timisoara, Mr. Lukian, presented the panagia to His Eminence, the Metropolitans of Montenegro and the Littoral, Joannikije, and of Dalmatia, Nikodim.

Thanking them first of all for their love, and then for the gifts, hospitality, and the invitation to participate in this great celebration, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Joannikije, said that the glorification of the new Saint was a great blessing from God.

The Holy Hierarchical Liturgy, at which, with the blessing of the Holy Bishops' Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the solemn act of canonization of Saint Cyril of Bezdinski was performed, was attended by the clergy of the Hierarchical Vicariates of Timisoara and Arad, and the faithful, as well as Dr. Vladimir Roganović, Director of the Administration for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities, Mrs. Ivana Jakšić Matović, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Timisoara, Mr. Ognjan Krstić, President of the Union of Serbs in Romania and Member of Parliament, and Mr. Stevan Katić, Mayor of Herceg Novi.

During and after the Eucharistic assembly, the faithful had the joy of venerating and kissing the relics of Saint Cyril, which will be in the Cathedral Church in Timisoara until October 18. Starting from Monday, October 13, the Holy Liturgy will be celebrated every day at 8 am, and the Akathist to Saint Cyril at 3 pm. During that period, the faithful will have the opportunity to venerate the new Saint of the Orthodox Church – Cyril of Bezdino and Dalmatia-Bokaje – during the services, but also during the day.

The relics of the Holy Confessor Cyril of Bezdino and Dalmatia-Bokaje in the Cathedral Church in They were transferred to Timisoara yesterday from the Bezdin Monastery, where the Holy Liturgy was served, and then, as church practice dictates, the last memorial service for Kirill Cvjetković.

The solemn act of canonization of Saint Cyril of Bezdin and Dalmatia-Boka – video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foJ-eUPfNIA

Photo: Željko Drašković https://www.flickr.com/photos/195504480@N04/sets/72177720329641424

Vesna Dević/ Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Timisoara