At the beginning of a sunny April, a new special event took place in the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, in the context of The Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, as well as Family Day, which will be celebrated this year on May 14. The conference „Today’s Woman: From the State of Wonder to the State of Sacrifice,” now in its second edition, brought together examples of authentic life in Christ and models of service to others through art, song, and the spoken word, as well as examples of those who worthily fulfill the roles of daughter, mother, sister, and wife.
The cultural and educational event, held with the blessing of His Eminence Father Calinic on the afternoon of May 2 in the Hall Pimen the Archbishop of the Suceava Diocesan Center was organized by the Suceava County School Inspectorate, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, through the Department Media and Communication and Sector Pastoral Mission and Christian Actuality, and the „Maria de Mangop” Orthodox Women’s Society.
The special guest was Angelica Flutur, a folk singer from the Obcini region of Bukovina and a well-known ambassador of Hutsul tradition both at home and abroad. The artist spoke about the virtues of Christian women, the roles of mothers and spiritual mentors, and the importance of gratitude. She also emphasized that the All-Merciful God has been by her side at every step, both in her personal life and especially in her professional journey—a path sometimes strewn with challenges, but always watched over by the One Above. Those present, of course, also enjoyed a special musical performance by the woman who was referred to during the gathering as „the child of Ciumârna, half butterfly, half angel.”.
As a token of appreciation and gratitude, Rev. Dr. Filaret Ruscan, diocesan advisor to the Sector Pastoral Mission and Christian Actuality, handed it to the guest Order „St. Great Martyr John the New of Suceava”, bestowed by His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, as he followed the example set by „the young man made wise by God, who devotedly fulfilled his ministry andbased his Orthodox faith on an understanding of the Gospel, courageously bearing witness to it before his fellow men through both deed and word.”.
The event, moderated and organized by Prof. Daniela Ceredeev, subject supervisor for religion The event, held at the Suceava County School Inspectorate, was attended by numerous distinguished women, members of the „Maria de Mangop” Orthodox Women’s Society, an organization founded in the second half of last year that currently has over 300 members from various fields of activity.
The second presentation at the conference was delivered by Associate Professor Otilia Clipa, Ph.D., from „Ștefan cel Mare” University in Suceava. She highlighted important aspects regarding the mission of women from the perspective of a priest’s wife and professor, also referring to her roles as a mother and a writer; some of her books were also presented during the event. Among the values of a Christian woman of faith that the guest mentioned were sincerity, trust, courage, and loyalty.
This was followed by the presentation Jubilee Medal To the „Maria de Mangop” Orthodox Women’s Society, on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, „as a token of deep gratitude for the significant contribution made over time to the preservation and promotion of the spiritual, heritage, educational, philanthropic, missionary, civic, cultural, and social values of the Church and the country.”.
Another highlight of the event was the segment dedicated to poetry, during which Prof. Daniela Logigan, an educational advisor at the Mitocu Dragomirnei School, read two poems from her latest collection—„In the Name of the Stone.”.
The project was then discussed Vizidom – Goodness from person to person! – „a program of regular home visits to the elderly, carried out with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, in the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, throughout the year 2023, The Year of Care for the Elderly ”in the Romanian Patriarchate."
At the end of the event, the women who had been nominated were presented with awards as Christian role models, who were presented with certificates of appreciation „for knowing, preserving, living, and bearing witness through their actions to the truth of the faith and the ministry of the ancestral Church,” as well as books published by the Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, The Life and Akathist of Saint John the New of Suceava, the Great Martyr, text revised by His Eminence Father Calinic, and The „Our Father” Prayer: A Commentary for the Busy Person, a work authored by the Archbishop.
Last but not least, it was read aloud and presented to those in attendance The Ten Commandments for Christian Women Compiled by His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, this is an exhortation to follow the example of the Myrrh-bearing Women on the path to discovering God and the joy of the Resurrection.
The conference, broadcast live by the Sector Media and CommunicationThe website of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți can be accessed by clicking the link below:
„Today's Woman: From Bride to Victim”
