Today, on June 28th, we celebrated the thirteenth anniversary of the Feast of the Translation of the Holy Relics of Blessed Theodore Romzha.

In 2003, the relics of Bishop Romzha were transferred from the Greek Catholic seminary in Uzhhorod to our Cathedral, after their finding in 1998. Tens of thousands of people came to bear witness to this great Ruthenian martyr. A man, who by refusing to become Orthodox and for his undying faithfulness to the See of Peter, was beaten and ultimately murdered.

Today, thirteen years later, over one hundred and fifty priests, several Bishops, and thousands of the faithful came together again to carry his relics back to the Cathedral. The procession began after Matins and Divine Liturgy, with the youth carrying banners, followed by monks, the clergy, bishops, and finally the faithful. The route of the procession was approximately 6km in length, stretching from the seminary, across the river Uzh, and through downtown Uzhhorod.

There was, however, one point along the route that specifically stood out to me – the towering blue onion domes of the Orthodox Cathedral. It’s not my intent to sound polemical, but I don’t recall a time in recent memory that I felt more proud to be a Greek Catholic than when we processed passed the Orthodox Cathedral triumphantly singing the Troparion of Blessed Theodore Romzha;

“O priest martyr Theodore, following the apostles’ path of piety, As a good shepherd guarding Christ’s flock, you laid down your life, For having been slain by the godless, o Blessed One, Adorned with wounds you entered into eternal joy, o Long-Suffering One, And received from the Lamb of God the crown of glory. Pray to Him to save our souls.”

I am so glad and thankful that I was blessed to be able to spend this Feast day here among the people of Carpathia. It is a memory I will not soon forget.

Blessed Theodore Romzha, pray to God for us!