Shettleston Old Parish Church will host a special inauguration ceremony at 3pm this Sunday as it becomes the home for Romanian Orthodox followers in the city.
Metropolitan Joseph Pop is flying in from Romania to bless the hall, and he will also bring with him a message from the country’s ex-King Michal.
The idea came from Romanian Daniel Manastireanu, who is training for the ministry with the Church of Scotland in the area.
He explained, “The Romanian Orthodox community approached me to ask for help in finding a space where they could start the first Romanian Orthodox Church in Scotland.
“Having already experienced the warm hospitality of Glasgow churches, I appealed to Shettleston Old Parish Church for help in this matter.
“I was overjoyed to see the minister and the elders taking on this challenge with great enthusiasm and desire to be helpful and welcoming to a migrant community in their church buildings.”
It is a great tribute for all Romanians in Scotland that a Romanian Orthodox Church — called The Presentation of Our Lord — has been established in Glasgow. The Church of Scotland must be commended for its priceless assistance in making this Romanian “dream” a reality. The establishment of this Church is another example of the recent significant impact that Orthodoxy has been having in additional nations throughout the world — especially nations in Africa, Asia, and Western Europe.