Strolling Around Suceava

 On Monday afternoon, Pastor Traian and his nephew Ciprian took us on a brief tour of their city.  Among the sights were old communist built apartment buildings, bust of Suceava's first and beloved Mayor, old water wells, Palace of Justice building, and other pics of their beautiful city along the way.  I had posted a photo in the last blog that had a sign with the word "Filadelfia" (Philadelphia) meaning brotherly love.  The BI COM building actually houses Ukranian refugees.  There is an association that is assisting them called "Fight for Freedom" as you can see by the sign in that same photo.

The picture of the two old grandparents sitting with a little boy by a fountain was taken in a park.  We have adopted another grandson.  He is Gabriel Niculescu, Pastor Traian and Otilia's son.  He wanted to ride on the electric stand-up scooter, but dad said, "Not today!"  lol      Enjoy the pictures.

"Where's Pastor?!"

Luther Quote of the Day

“The paradox is that God must destroy in us, all illusions of righteousness before he can make us righteous.”

Worship at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

About a week ago, Pastor Niculescu asked if I would preach at his church, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Suceava, Romania.  I told him it would be a privelege and an honor to share the Gospel with the people of God at his church.  The worship experience has been very interesting and challenging these past several weeks, here in Romania.  In the other two parishes in Bucharest and Brasov, the services were done in English and Romanian because there were English speaking people like Jo Ann and me at the services.  Here in Suceava, because everyone's primary language is Romanian, Pastor Traian gave us a condensed version of his sermon in English which was very helpful.  However, the entire liturgy is done in Romania as it should be.  

Yesterday, when I was preaching, I would preach about a paragraph of my sermon and then Traian would read from an English copy I gave him preaching the message in Romanian.  The sermon was actually only 12 minutes in length but when you multiply that times two is was closer to 25 minutes.  The people very excited and grateful that I was able to share the Word with them.  All praise be to God.  I also communed Pastor Traian during the service.  The young man carrying the Crucifix and ringing the church bell is Ciprian Bangs, the son of the couple who is hosting us while we are here. Jesse Bangs was self taught on the keyboards and did a great job playing at the worship service.  I have a picture of Jesse and his son Ciprian our hosts.  I've also included a picture of Pastor Traian Niculescu and his wife Otilia with Jo Ann and me. Please also note that in the first picture is a copy of their hymnal.  The liturgy tunes are from our service book Divine Service, Setting Three.

Enjoy the pictures.

"Where's Pastor?!"

Luther Quote of the Day

“If God were willing to sell His grace, we would accept it more quickly and gladly than when He offers it for nothing.”

Life Changing History in the Heart of Suceava

The Brancoveanu Family statue was made by the sculptor Ginete Santha and placed in the center of Suceava, across the street from the Palace of Justice and located behind the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of Our God. The monument praises the famous martyr Constanti Brancoveanu (1688-1714), one of the important heroes in Romanian history. 

The statuary group is made of bronze and depicts the voivode (Polish government official standing, together with his wife and their seven children, all forming a monolithic group. The entire family was martyred for their anti-communist stance.

Across the street from the Palace of Justice in Suceava (where there used to be the prison where the anti-communist fighters were hanged) the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God (also called the "In Memoriam" Church) was built. Private donatations from people in the United States, Germany and around the world were given to build this church.  The church building took eight years to build and was consecrated in 2004. Notice the vines and grapes woven in metal art all around the entries to the building.

Back to the statue. The statue stands of the green space on the west side of the church, being placed on the axis of the cross. The monument was consecrated on the new location on August 16, 2005, on the Feast of the Brâncoveni Martyrs. Currently, the monument is black and has a plaque with the following inscription: "Family of the Holy Martyrs Brîncoveni".  Below is the picture of the monument and of the beautiful Church.

In 1885, on the place where there used to be a military barracks, a building was built by the Austrian to serve as the headquarters for the Circuit Court, the District Court and the Suceava Land Registry.  The building is created by the Viennese architect Ferdinand Fellner. In the back of the building, which today bears the name of the Palace of Justice was created the only prison in the Suceava district.

In 1947,the Romanian Communist Party took power, becoming the only official political party active on the political scene in Romania at that time. Starting from the same year, political prisoners, especially young people from all over Moldova, most of them students who were opposed to the Communist Party were brought and incarcerated at the prison in Suceava. Until 1956, many anti-communist fighters sacrificed themselves and died here.

After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, which led to the fall of the communist regime, on the back wall of the building, in the place where the prison used to be, there is a white marble memorial plaque with the following inscription: "In this building, some of the best sons of the Romanian nation, who sacrificed themselves for freedom, fighting against communism, were hanged and martyred."  In September of 1992 a memorial to the anti-communist fighters was placed out in front of the Palace of Justice made of wood and stone and has a plaque with the following inscription: "In memoriam for those who suffered in communist prisons and camps during the years 1944-1989. 20.09.1992."

More pictures of the church built for all who were martyered by the communists during the 20th Century between the years 1947 - 1989.

On our walk we saw a beautiful home that we discovered was a historical inn called the Princely Inn.  The Inn is one of the oldest structures in Suceava.  It is the only structure left in town which represents medieval Molovian architecture.  It was built sometime during the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.  

After the Austrian occupation in 1775, members of the Habsberg family used it as a hunting lodge. The bottom floor had an atmosphere of an old inn that attracted the businessmen and politicians of Suceava and where honored and special guests came to stay when in town.  It was completely restored between 1962 and 1968 and serves as a museum of Romanian history.  Enjoy the pictures.

"Where's Pastor?!"

Luther Quote of the Day

“One thing, and only one thing, is necessary for Christian life, righteousness, and freedom. That one thing is the most holy Word of God, the gospel of Christ.”

Who's Who in the Zoo?

 Yesterday, we drove to a town named Radauti and visited a small local zoo with a number of of animals from around the world.  Enjoy the pictures.

We could walk right up to the cages.  Not much of a barrier at all.  Closest I've ever gotten to the animals in any zoo.

The second half of the day was spent seeing to of the most popular monastaries in Romania.  The importance of the one monastary is that the great king Stefan I was buried there.  There were many tourists there when we went to visit.  When we went inside, it only had a narthex and combination nave/sanctuary.  Large residences housing cloisters of monks surrounded both of these monastaries. These were the most elaborate monastaries we have seen since we have been here in Romania. They are very well maintained and look very new.  We were told that the government and the Romania Orthodox Church work closely together and the government helps them with the expense to build and maintain the buildings and landscapes. By the way, we found ourselves only eight miles away from the Ukrainian boarder.  Still very far away from the war out in east Ukraine. Enjoy the pics!

"Where's Pastor?!"

Luther Quote of the Day

“I frankly confess that even if it were possible I should not wish to have free choice given to me, or to have anything left in my own hands by which I might strive for salvation.”