Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church, on Monday, October 14, the feast of Saint Paraskeva the New, said that the saint gathers the Orthodox nations in prayer and communion, being honoured by Romanians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Serbs.
"She is a saint who gathers the Orthodox nations in prayer, in communion and that can be seen especially in the book that we printed in Iasi and, in 2000, at the Metropolitan Publishing House Trinitas, under the title 'Saint Paraskeva, a guide to pilgrims', in Romanian, English and Greek. (...) There are testimonies regarding the piety of Romanians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Serbs regarding the veneration of Saint Paraskeva the Pious," the Basilica News Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate quotes Daniel as having said on Monday.
The patriarch, who participated on Monday in the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the historic Chapel St. George of the Patriarchal Residence, said that Saint Paraskeva shows that "holiness is not related to age."
"You do not only have to be old to be holy, but the intensity of faith, piety, goodness or merciful love shows the holiness of Christ at work in those who carry in their souls the merciful love of Christ. (...) She was very generous and merciful and often offered food to the poor. The saint even offered her golden cross, which she had worn around her neck since her baptism, to a poor man," said Daniel.
"Saint Paraskeva the New lived a short but very intense life. (...) She was, first of all, humble and loved God and her fellow men very much. She was humble, pious and merciful. Her power to heal and help the faithful comes precisely from her total connection with God, who is wonderful in His saints."
The patriarch added that Saint Paraskeva is "the most popular" of the saints whose relics are found in Romania. "The telling proof is that almost 500 churches are dedicated to Saint Paraskeva for protection," he added.
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