Homily of His Grace, Bishop Partenij of Antania, Delivered on Palm Sunday, at the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Debar, April 9, 2023, in the Year of the Lord
Beloved brothers, sisters, and children in the Lord,
May this majestic feast—the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem—be a source of joy and blessing for many years to come! First, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the monks and nuns, those wondrous chosen servants and apostles of the Lord, who through the ages have borne the most powerful witness to the Resurrection of Christ! See how, with great effort and devotion, they have worked tirelessly to restore this once-glorious temple, making it shine again, just as it did in its most splendid days.
When I entered the church, I felt as though the Divine Liturgy were celebrated here every day, as if this were a vibrant parish where the unbloody sacrifice is constantly offered. Tears welled in my eyes, and even now, believe me, I speak with great emotion. For it was by divine providence that I visited this place with some monks and nuns at the beginning of the Fast, and during that visit, we conceived the idea of celebrating Palm Sunday here once more, just as we did some twenty years ago.
To make this possible, significant effort was needed to restore this beautiful temple and prepare it for worship as best as we could. In this context, I extend special thanks to Father Mile Angeloski, who, along with the church committee and a small group of faithful Christians, took the initiative last summer to repair the church roof, which had been severely damaged and leaking water.
There is still much work to be done. The sanctuary on the eastern side is below ground level, and as a result, it suffers from significant moisture issues, and other areas also need attention. Yet, I trust that with God’s help and the collaboration of the faithful people of Debar, we will complete the restoration for the joy of our forebears. This year marks the 150th anniversary of this church’s construction. It was built at a time when Debar was a strong and flourishing Christian city.
In those days, to the left of the church, facing east, stood a grand building—an ecclesiastical school. Sadly, few people from Debar today remember it, as the only remnants of its existence are old photographs. That building was demolished about twenty years ago. Nevertheless, I thank the Lord for arranging for us to regain ownership of that site, once again making it part of the Church’s property. On the western side of the church was the building of the once-famous Debar Metropolis. Even today, our diocese bears the name Debar-Kičevo, although our revered Metropolitan, Bishop Timotej, resides in the city of Ohrid.
Beloved, today’s feast reveals many profound truths. Through today’s events, the Holy Spirit clearly and unmistakably declares who Jesus of Nazareth truly is. To proclaim this joyous and salvific message, the Holy Spirit chooses infants—those with pure hearts who have not yet spoken a single word. It is they whom the Spirit moves and inspires to cry out: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna to the Son of David!”
These words, spoken throughout the streets of Jerusalem by innocent children cradled in their mothers’ arms, proclaimed Christ as the spiritual King of the whole world, a descendant of the prophet David.
We all know from the Holy Gospel why the Savior was received so triumphantly by the multitudes in the Holy City of Jerusalem, just before the great Jewish feast of Passover. The reason for this joyous welcome lies in the fact that word had spread of the miracle He performed in Bethany with His friend Lazarus.
Although Lazarus had been dead for four days and was already entombed, decaying in the grave, he obeyed the Lord’s command and emerged alive from the tomb. This extraordinary miracle—the likes of which had never been seen since the foundation of the world—compelled the people to come out and welcome the One who had raised Lazarus, the Giver of life, the One who will raise us all, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Son of God is a friend of all humanity. The Gospel tells us: “He was a friend of Lazarus.” However, Christ was not only Lazarus’s friend, nor did He love only Lazarus in a special way—He loves each of us individually, for God’s love is boundless and incomprehensible. In truth, we should rephrase that statement: it was Lazarus who was a friend of Christ. This is an important realization for all of us. It was not Christ who determined whether the friendship would exist; rather, Lazarus built that friendship by loving Christ deeply.
The same can be said of St. John the Theologian, who is described in the Gospel as the “beloved disciple of the Lord.” Analyzing this more precisely, we would say: John was the disciple who especially loved his Teacher. There is no doubt that Christ loves all people immeasurably, just as He loved all His disciples. However, it was the love that St. John the Theologian harbored in his heart for Christ that made him such a God-inspired and beloved disciple.
Thus, it is no coincidence that only John, in his Gospel, records the raising of Lazarus. In fact, St. John was the last to write a Gospel. The other apostles and evangelists refrained from recounting this great miracle to avoid causing trouble for Lazarus with the people, for at that time, Lazarus was still alive and served as a bishop in Cyprus. Out of respect for him, they waited until after his repose to write about the miracle. That honor ultimately fell to St. John the Theologian.
Beloved, before us lies the most sacred week of the entire year. Each day of this Holy Week is spiritually significant, filled with profound meaning, and offers us a fresh opportunity for contemplation: Where are we going? What is the purpose of our existence? What is our true destiny? Why did Christ come to Earth? If we carefully immerse ourselves in the events of these holy days, we will understand that He came out of love for mankind—to illuminate the way for us and to leave us free to choose: Will we follow Him? Will we take up our cross and walk after the Creator?
Therefore, I ask: Will we take up our cross and follow Christ? Will we, at least during this Holy and Great Week, set aside the world, rise in spirit, and despise worldly pleasures? Today, we heard the Apostle Paul urging us to focus our minds on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).
Thus, beloved, the Holy Church now invites us to fix our thoughts entirely on Christ, the Giver of Life. Let us think of Christ, who will grant us eternity. Let us reflect on Christ, who fills our hearts with love. When Christ is placed first in our lives, everything else falls into its rightful place. Those who put Christ at the center of their lives know what they are doing and where they are going, both in this life and in the age to come. Anyone who chooses Christ becomes a guide for others, for Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
What you see before you today is true Orthodox patriotism—not the sensationalist, self-destructive patriotism promoted through reckless mockery on social media, but a patriotism expressed through actions, hard work, and sacrifice. With our minds focused on Christ and working in His vineyard, we gradually ascend. Your presence here today is no small sacrifice; many of you have traveled from various cities across our homeland to gather in this historic temple of our ancestors to glorify the Ever-Living One, in whom all are made alive.
When I first visited this church earlier this year, I thought to myself: On Palm Sunday, when this temple once again resounds with praise to God, the Raiser of our souls—Christ our God—will send forth the spirits of our ancestors, the builders of this place, and all those who found freedom in Him. Their souls will be among us, rejoicing that their descendants have not forgotten the sacred things that sanctified them and lifted them heavenward.
Beloved, let us not allow worldly cares to overwhelm us to the point that we forget the spiritual dimension of life, for without it, life becomes meaningless. Let us keep our minds firmly fixed on Christ. During this Holy Week, on Great and Holy Friday, the Cross of the Savior will be lifted high, becoming the light that guides us from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection. Even if we have not been diligent in fasting, prayer, or fulfilling the Gospel commandments during this season, we are still given one last opportunity for repentance.
The Lord calls us to labor in the field of virtues during this “eleventh hour.” Christ, the Householder, is a generous and merciful benefactor, and He will reward even those who come at the last hour. If, during this final and most sacred week, we direct our thoughts toward Him and fill our hearts with compassionate love for Him, we will be prepared to greet the glorious Resurrection of Christ. With hearts illumined, we will walk toward the end of our earthly journey, ready to transition into the eternal Homeland—the ultimate goal of our lives.
Amen.
