On this October Sunday, when the Church evangelically recalls Christ’s parable of the Sower, we prayerfully celebrated the memory of Saint Longinus the Centurion, the truth-loving Roman centurion who had the honour of witnessing the Golgotha event that changed history and opened the path for human salvation. Thus, we were once again reminded of all those fateful events under the Cross of Christ, which opened the heart and mind of the Roman military commander and forever sealed the defeat of the devil. “Truly He was the Son of God” – this testimony echoed from the mouth of a hitherto unenlightened soldier, condemning those who spent their whole lives learning and speaking about their Messiah, but in the end did not recognize Him and condemned Him to death. A testimony that suddenly changed the heart of Saint Longinus and made him a great preacher and even a martyr of Christ.
Speaking to us with great love, our God-inspired Elder, the Bishop of Antania Mr. Parthenius, in his sermon at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy which he presided with, conveyed to us the heartfelt and contemplative compassion for the brave confession of this Martyr. He compared him to good and fertile soil, which the seed of faith fell on and gave a hundredfold fruit:
