Patriarch of Romania on Palm Sunday: The most precious myrrh offered to Christ is the soul of the faithful

On Palm Sunday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the gifts the Church offers to Christ, emphasising that the greatest of these is the soul of the faithful and merciful believer.

In his sermon delivered at the “St. George” Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence, Patriarch Daniel reflected on the significance of the Anointing at Bethany.

“The precious myrrh, understood as a prophetic symbol of the burial of our Lord Jesus Christ, has become in the Church the Holy and Great Chrism,” the Patriarch explained.

The consecration of the Holy and Great Chrism will take place at the Patriarchal Cathedral on Holy Thursday, 17 April 2025, in the context of the Romanian Patriarchate’s centennial.

Patriarch Daniel noted that “the Church has learned from Mary, the sister of Lazarus, to show great reverence for Christ by using the Holy and Great Chrism in worship, composed of many precious aromatic substances.”

He also explained that the precious myrrh is “a symbol of the Church’s holiness and liturgical beauty.”

“All icons, vestments, and valuable liturgical vessels—every beautiful adornment brought into the Church of Christ as an offering of reverence and gratitude—are like precious myrrh.”

“Like Mary, the sister of Lazarus, the Church offers to the crucified and risen Christ everything beautiful and of great value that she possesses,” he added.

At the same time, the Patriarch emphasized that the Church also supports the poor, “because liturgical devotion does not exclude social philanthropy.”

The Most Precious Gift

“A beautiful church is a joy for all Orthodox believers, rich and poor alike. But before the material gifts of great value that we bring to church, we must offer Christ the most precious gift: our Orthodox faith, fervent prayer, and good deeds,” stressed the Patriarch of Romania.

In this regard, Patriarch Daniel explained that “the most precious myrrh is the soul of the faithful and merciful person.”

“The devout Christian soul, cleansed of sins through repentance and illuminated by good deeds, is offered each day to Christ as precious myrrh,” Patriarch Daniel said.

Bringing the Flowers of Grace

The Patriarch then prayed that the Lord Jesus Christ would help us, during His Passion Week, “to bring as precious myrrh the flowers of grace grown in our souls through all the spiritual work done during the fast.”

He explained that on Palm Sunday, we carry olive, palm, or willow branches—symbols of victory—first and foremost to commemorate the event that took place over two thousand years ago, when the Lord entered Jerusalem.

“Moreover, we carry branches and flowers because the 40 days of fasting have ended, during which we have gathered in our souls the flowers of light—of faith cultivated through prayer, repentance, fasting, and good deeds.”

In this context, the Patriarch congratulated all Romanians for celebrating their name day on Palm Sunday.

During the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Daniel also performed the investiture (heirothesia) of Fr. Mihai Sfarghie, Patriarchal Secretary, as oikonomos stavrophore (a senior honorary ecclesiastical rank).

Source and photo: Basilica.ro