That in the deeds and lives of the saints the love of God is manifest is beyond question. And the feasts dedicated to them are reflections of divine love. And each feast is a new call to communion.
A few decades ago, and it's almost even a century since then, „trying to paint”, as he himself confessed, „the spiritual face of St. Hierarch Calinic”, whom our Church has appointed April 11 as his feast day, our Holy Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae Confessor based his devotion to him on a wealth of achievements and virtues:
„St. Callicus is the choicest flower that sprang up and grew in the soil of the spirituality of the Knights, developing to the supreme degree its three characteristics: asceticism, mercy and practical concern-gospopore. (...) The realism of St. Calinic can be seen both in his zeal and in his capacity as builder and organizer. Wherever he goes, churches and establishments for religious life spring up around him. He builds large, luminous churches, true cathedrals, and by accepting this style and realistic painting, he is moving with the times.”
At the same time: „It is astonishing how the contemplation of the divine world and the attentive look at the details of concrete life, the alertness that follows the subtlest thoughts of the mind and the attention that combines and realizes prudent and precise plans of building, organization and housekeeping, were able to fit together and harmonize in him. In the beautiful harmony of divine reasoning St. Calinic contemplated the beautiful harmony of divine reasoning, St. Calinic contemplated the orderly scheme of the plans that he had to realize below, and in those below he caught the rays of the light from above. For St. Calinic loved books and was a man of prayer.”
And Nicolae Iorga, in History of the Romanian Church and Romanians' religious life, also evokes the patriotism of the wise, merciful and tireless house-keeper bishop of Râmnicul-Noul Severin, who deeply loved his country and his nation and ended in reality „with valor the line of pure monks without silver, of the founders of books and buildings of worship, of the souls of archpriests, who never for a moment imagined that their deed or thought escaped the watchful eye of God.” More recently, the Patriarch reiterated that we are talking about „one of the most representative Romanian saints, the most balanced in the link between word and deed, between faith and culture, between love for God shown in prayer and love for his fellow men shown in good deeds; (...) a model to follow in terms of the balance between building souls and building new altars of prayer.”
This year, in the preface of the days recalling the call to „go down into the depths of your heart, recognize the weaknesses of your nature and follow the path of humility as the beginning of a new reality” (verse 6, Decalogue on Holy Saturday), is also the liturgical time dedicated to Saint Hierarch Calinic of Cernica, recognized „teacher of unceasing prayer”, elected spiritual patron of the Most Reverend Father Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților.
Between the incense medallions of confession and prayer in the book Saints - our true friends (Doxologia Publishing House, 2020), which bears the signature of our Father Archbishop, we also find a „portrait in words” of the saint who was the Bishop of Ramnic, born in 1787, canonized in 1955, „inscribed - here on earth - in the diptychs of the Church of the nation, and there - Up in the choir of the Holy Hierarchs, with whom he will participate in the Archpastoral Liturgy of love, in the great cosmic cathedral of God”.
I read and re-read the portrait of this chosen of Heaven, so beautifully and wholly set in a medallion of prayer and words, and I cannot help thinking that I find so poignant notes of self-portrait of the Vlădicăi of today, from the Citadel of Suceava.
St. Calinic of Cernica „was a monk par excellence, dedicated to the spiritual life since childhood, showing himself in all things temperate, demanding with himself, but generous to others. He was the hierarch who never abdicated from the fundamental moral principles by which, moreover, he guided his life, whatever the mission entrusted to him. (...) He knew how to build both churches of the wall and of the soul. The architecture of his foundations breathes the architecture of his soul”. (pp. 73-75)
A hieratic portrait, like the one put into words by Father Confessor, recently canonized in Sermon at the canonization Mass of Saint Calinic of Cernica, October 23, 1955. The Archpriest of Christ had, therefore, a kindness springing from an authentic mystical experience and he distinguished himself both by his literary and spiritual - missionary and cultural - activity, as well as by his organizational and spiritual activity.
And, as I was saying, „they seek me” and they find me, reconfirmations that each of these iridescences of an archieresque portrait is also found in the „architecture” of the soul of Father Archbishop Calinic, untiring in serving unceasingly and fully the Most High Heaven, bathed in the light of the saints. I first come to mind countless testimonies from the hundreds of pages of the homage number Theologica Pontica (no. 1/2021, University „Ovidius” Constanta, Academy of Orthodox Theology - Chișinău), which was - some time ago dedicated to him: more than three decades of sacrificial service, more than 100 published works, „works that will last in the soul, in history and in eternity” - thousands of services performed, more than 400 churches built, more than 800 churches restored and painted, the construction of countless social establishments, as well as almost 1000 parish and social houses built from the ground up.
In the same measure, just mentioned from the rush of thought, in the first year, in Suceava, the reopening of Solca Monastery and the appointment of the first abbot after 236 years; the reopening of Pătrăuți Monastery and the appointment of the first abbess after 200 years; the program „No house without the New Testament”; the establishment of the „Dimitrie Suceveanu” Psaltic Group, the reconfiguration and resizing of the church objects shop, which now includes the „St. Joseph of Arimathea” colporteur store, the „Arimathea - Joy to the Soul” pangar and the „Arimathea - Light to the Soul” candle holder.
Or, in the second, as it is clear from just a first glance at the 456 pages of the Activity Report - 2021, published by Crimca Publishing House: the anniversary events „Putna Celebration -150. The Continuity of an Ideal”; hundreds of pastoral visits to parishes and parishes, monasteries and hermitages; dozens of visits to social, medical and cultural-educational establishments; many editorial projects, many books published, countless articles and words of teaching written; the reopening of three more monasteries (Ilișești, Ițcani, Bălinești) and the establishment of the Arbore Monastery; coordination and support of numerous regional and national educational-cultural and philanthropic projects for children and young people; campaigns and programs for people in need in the parish communities of Suceava County; the Ecclesiasaria „St. Jacob Putneanul Metropolitan”; the Trapeza of the Communion „St. John the Merciful Metropolitan”; ongoing coordination of the work at the Eparchial Center „Dosoftei Episcopul” and the Eparchial Center offices „Metropolitan Silvestru”.
Then, in the Year of our Lord 2022: approval of the restoration project of the whole ensemble of the Monastery „St. John the New” and the beginning of works; completion of the House „Dositei Bishop” for the monastic staff, continuation of the construction of the Cultural Center „Silvestru Andrievich Metropolitan Silvestru Andrievich”; construction of a candle factory in the vicinity of the Monastery of Camârzani; the numerous events organized under the aegis of „Mussatinian Heritage - Culture, Faith, History”, events organized on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the Church „St. Great Martyr Gheorghe” of the Monastery „St. John the New of Suceava”, the foundation of Bogdan IIIrd Voievod and Ștefăniță Voievod, the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the Church „All Saints” Sunday„ - Părhăuți, the foundation of the boyar Gavril Trotușan, and the 400th anniversary of the consecration of the Monastery ”Saints Apostles Peter and Paul" - Solca, the foundation of Ștefan Tomșa IInd Voievod.
Also in the same year, 2022, the constant concern to help those close to us, so tried by the war: „(...) he went several times to the Siret border point, spoke to the volunteers, thanking them and encouraging them to persevere in the sorrowful work of serving their neighbor, made sure that the actions to support those in need were going well, talked with those directly involved in this philanthropic endeavor, in order to respond promptly to the difficulties and needs identified. Last but not least, he tried to comfort and strengthen, through prayer and blessing, the saddened, frightened and bewildered souls of those who found themselves overnight part of a conflict they little understand.”
What was the year that followed? I quote from the Lumina Newspaper, which - in the last 20 years of uninterrupted publication - has consolidated its place and confirmed its role as the chronicle of the Romanian Patriarchate: „the completion and reopening of the Museum and Multicultural Centre „Cazinoul Băilor”, the enrichment of the diocese with four new monasteries, the consecration of the monastic complex Sihăstria Râșcăi, the organization of the National Religious Olympics for theological seminaries, the organization of events under the aegis of the „Ciprian Porumbescu” Cultural Year, the implementation of the project „Prayer Book as a gift for Romanian souls” (for Romanian families in Ukraine), the provision of social-philanthropic support for more than 60.000 people, the beginning of the process of consolidation and rehabilitation of the complex of buildings of the Monastery „St. John the New from Suceava”.
And the retrospective, so far from being exhaustive, of the accomplishments of the last five years in the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților, would not be complete without those presented in the movie „2024 - 100 minutes of the year that has entered eternity”, launched in the Eparchial Assembly earlier this year. Among those devoted to culture and books: more than 60 books, including two volumes with printed cant, a first for the Romanian theological publishing environment, published by Crimca Publishing House; an impressive number of theological and cultural-artistic events (symposia, conferences, round tables and workshops); the International Symposium „Metropolitan Dosoftei - Saint, Ctitor, Scholar - Jubilee 400”; the launch of the film „A life under the sign of the Cross, Bishop Gherasim Putneanul”, produced by Trinitas TV, the Romanian Patriarchate's television channel, and a whole series of liturgical, cultural-artistic, educational and pastoral-missionary events, on the centenary of the birth of the archbishop and the twentieth anniversary of his departure into eternity; also to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Father Archimandrite Iachint Unciuleac, Abbot of Putna Monastery from 1977-1992 and spiritual father for the whole of Bucovina.
The 22 books published by Fr. Archbishop Crimca Publishing House in the last few years are not to be befriended with silence. New titles, reedited volumes, revised and completed editions: Family and philanthropy - two divine-human institutions, Cevensong at the vigil hour, Paraclete of Our Lady. A letter of repentance of the soul, Tanatology and Immortality, (an 2021); Parables. Gems of Jesus' teaching, St. John the Baptist. The seal of the two Testaments, Trilogy of the Word, Miraculous springs and icons, The logic of the Trinity, The Lord's Prayer. A comment for the man in a hurry, Happiness in unhappiness. A comment for the man in a hurry, Prayer Book. Jubilee Edition (2022); The man beyond death. A comment for the man in a hurry, Funeral sermons, Confession. 86 typologies, Mother of God in the light of Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition, (in 2023); The Triod. Calvary of repentance, Miracles - revelations of the Holy Trinity, About the Sacraments and the Mysteries, (2024); Prayers for various needs (2025); The Decalogues - moral landmarks for modern man and Decalogues to the Triod, Pentecost and Octoih - moral landmarks in search of meaning (2025).
In fact, in the past year, the Homage Year of the Centenary of the Romanian Patriarchate, which was addressed to us as a call to a renewed celebration of the past, to gratitude to our ancestors, and to reflection on the role of our Church in the life of the Romanian people, we also celebrated 30 years of writing activity of His All-Honorable Father Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților. Three decades in which his pastoral, liturgical, spiritual, missionary, cultural, social, administrative, administrative, educational and philanthropic activity, postgraduate studies, theological research, as well as inter- and multidisciplinary research, have meant the elaboration and publication of an impressive number of books, an ever reconfirmed, continuous and renewing fulfillment of the evangelical words which testify that „every scholar who is a teacher of the kingdom of heaven is like a housekeeper who brings out of his treasure new and old” (Matthew 13, 52).
And in a still not rigorous enough attempt at categorization on our part, the written work of the Father Archbishop, amounting to 100 titles, comprises 15 categories of content: doctrinal works, works of biblical exegesis, hymnographic writings, liturgical books, books of theology and liturgical commentaries, homiletical works, parenetical writings, biographical books, volumes of celebration or evocation, bilingual monographic albums, multilingual monographs, dogmatic-liturgical books for the general public, missionary-pastoral publications, paperback volumes - commentaries and summaries for the „man in a hurry”, pastoral writings. Also, from a different perspective, that of elaboration and publication, works of authorship, co-authored books, coordinated volumes, works of editing, collaborative book translation. Publications in Romanian, but also some bilingual and multilingual editions (English, French, German).
(https://www.arhiepiscopiasucevei.ro/100-de-carti-trei-decenii-de-slujire-si-misiune-continuitate-innoitoare/)
From all of them, the vocation of the founding is steadfast. In the fulfillment of each one of them, they are prayers. Prayers among those that strengthen and confess the faith in truth.
All the best to His Beatitude Archbishop Calinic!
Daniela Ceredeev, school inspector for religion
