On 1 January, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Circumcision of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocchia. On the first day of the new civil year 2013, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great was celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral, by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, assisted by a group of priests and deacons, in the presence of many faithful.
After reading the Evangelical pericope of Saint Evangelist Luke, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel delivered a sermon in which he emphasised its teaching, and eulogizing the outstanding personality of Saint Basil the Great.
Circumcision is a sign of faith
His Beatitude explained why the Saviour was circumcised on his eighth day of life: 'Figure eight means eternity, the infinite. The one who was circumcised showed that that was a sign of faith, and faith is the one that helps us get eternal life, because the righteous one in faith will be alive. Abraham, the father of faith, instituted this circumcision as a sign of a special relation of man with God also meaning that the man is called to eternal life, that his ultimate destination is not the grave, but the house of the Heavenly Father.
The Patriarch of Romania has also emphasised in his speech the fact that circumcision is an anticipation of the Sacrament of the Holy Baptism.
'Circumcision was a prefiguration, anticipation of another circumcision, namely the spiritual circumcision - the Sacrament of the Holy Baptism, as Saint Paul the Apostle showed us. The circumcision of the heart or spiritual circumcision means the rejection of the worldly thought full of self sufficiency and selfishness and its spiritualisation through the spiritual relation with God the Creator of the Heaven and earth, with the Holy Trinity. Thus, the circumcision of the Old Law ceases through the Christian baptism which is spiritual circumcision, superior to the physical one. Thus, we have a preparation in stages of the people for the Sacrament of the Holy Baptism', said His Beatitude.
Then, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about Saint Basil the Great showing that he was one of the most educated fathers of the Church, one of the most devoted and diligent ones, who united wisdom with devotion and work, not only spiritual, but also material in the Church, because the matter was put in the service of the spirit, in that of the spiritual work.
At the same time, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church has also spoken about the social philanthropic activity of Saint Basil the Great.
To end with, His Beatitude wished all the persons named Basil many happy years of life.
 Te Deum for the New Year Because the religious feast of the 1st of January, which is the beginning of the civil year, must be met with spiritual joy, at the end of the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great celebrated today, the 1st of January 2013, a Te Deum service was celebrated too, according to the pan-orthodox level and to the typicon rules. Â
The Te Deum was celebrated by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church assisted by a group of priests and deacons, in the presence of hundreds of faithful.
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Proclamation of the Solemn Year of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen After the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and of the Te Deum, on the 1st of January, in the Patriarchal Cathedral, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church has officially proclaimed the year 2013 as Solemn Year of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen in the Romanian Patriarchate.
The official document was read by deacon Eloi Siluan, servant clergyman of the Patriarchal Cathedral.
To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel delivered a sermon in which he eulogized the outstanding life of the Saints Emperors and underlined the special support granted to Christianity.
'The proclamation of the solemn year of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen is motivated, first of all by the anniversary of 1700 years since Saint Emperor Constantine issued the edict of religious freedom of Mediolan. This religious freedom ceased the persecution of the Christians. The year 313 is a landmark. The Christians were persecuted for almost 300 years because they did not worshipped the emperor and the Greek Roman gods, so that they were killed in great tortures, the bishops and priests imprisoned, maimed and killed; thus, our calendar of the first three centuries is full of saints martyrs as a result of the politics of many Roman emperors that persecuted the Christians', His Beatitude said.
While speaking about Saint Constantine the Great, the Patriarch of Romania showed that he was a man whom God called for a special change in the history of Europe and of the whole world because, as the troparion reads, he was not called by the people, but by God.
His Beatitude has also emphasised the concern of the Saints Emperors for a Christian society as well as their support granted to the Church. Â Â Â
'The Saints Emperors were not only protectors of the religious freedom, but also good Christians, supporters of the man created in God's likeness, so that Saint Emperor Constantine issued laws by which he changed the Roman pagan legislation. Therefore, he interdicted crucifixion, crushing of the legs and burning of the body with red burning iron. So, he prohibited torture which was very often practiced during the time of the pagan emperors. He punished adultery, and interdicted abortion, so that many of the Christian laws are based on the legislation issued during the Saints Emperors. He has also encouraged the aiding of the widows, old people, and sick', His Beatitude also mentioned.
'May God help us do good deeds for the prayers of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen, in the year we have just begun 2013, for strengthening our faith, for helping the Church, and our Romanian society', His Beatitude said in the end.
Following the initiative of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church approved in its working session of 25 October 2011 that the year 2013 should be declared the Solemn Year of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen at the anniversary of 1700 years since Edict of religious tolerance of Milan (313).
