MIRAMAR, FL — On Thursday, September 10, 2026, the 94th Annual Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America began in South Florida with the annual Clergy Conference, hosted by Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church in Miramar.

The day opened with the celebration of the Holy and Divine Liturgy, officiated by His Grace Bishop Andrei of Cleveland, Auxiliary Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America. Assisting His Grace were priests and deacons from the Florida area and other parts of the Episcopate.

Following the Divine Liturgy, the clergy gathered for an agape meal generously prepared by the Parish Council, Ladies Auxiliary, and faithful of Holy Trinity Parish.

In the afternoon, the Clergy Conference formally opened with a welcoming message from His Grace Bishop Andrei, followed by remarks from V. Rev. Fr. Ștefan Stoleru, Dean of the South USA Deanery.

The first session of the conference focused on missionary work, evangelization, and the pastoral responsibility of Orthodox parishes toward the increasing number of people seeking to learn about and enter the Orthodox Church.

The discussion addressed an important pastoral reality facing many parishes throughout the United States and Canada: How should our communities receive those who come seeking the Orthodox Faith? How can parishes accompany them from their first encounter with Orthodoxy through catechesis and, ultimately, into the sacramental life of the Church?

Presentations were offered by V. Rev. Fr. David Subu of Protection of the Holy Mother of God Parish, V. Rev. Fr. David Wey of Saints Constantine and Helen Parish, and Rev. Fr. Thomas Frisby of Exaltation of the Holy Cross Parish. Although each priest spoke from the particular experience of his own community, several common themes emerged: hospitality, prayer, serious catechesis, a welcoming parish community, and an effective presence in contemporary forms of communication.

Fr. David Subu spoke about the significant number of inquiries his parish has received and the importance of preparing a parish before growth occurs. He explained how online services, homilies, parish websites, YouTube, and social media became important points of first contact, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. For many people, the “first door” through which they encountered Orthodoxy was no longer the physical entrance of a church, but its online presence.

He also presented the catechetical process used in his parish. Those interested in Orthodoxy are first given time to become familiar with the Church as inquirers before being formally received as catechumens. Catechesis then continues over an extended period so that reception into the Church is accompanied by genuine formation in Orthodox faith and life.

Fr. David also reflected upon the missionary legacy of Fr. Roman Braga and Fr. Gheorghe Calciu, describing how circumstances brought them to America, where their witness and ministry became a powerful means of sharing the Orthodox Faith with others.

Fr. David Wey reflected upon his own journey into the Orthodox Church and emphasized prayer as the foundation of missionary work. He encouraged clergy and faithful to pray for guidance and to ask God to send laborers into His vineyard. He stressed that a parish seeking to fulfill its missionary calling must be welcoming and hospitable to everyone who enters its doors.

Fr. Thomas Frisby presented the experience of a rapidly growing parish community. In approximately two years, regular attendance increased from around 30 to approximately 120 people, requiring the parish to expand its facilities and acquire additional property.

Many of those coming to the parish, he explained, arrive from atheist or agnostic backgrounds or after personal and spiritual struggles and therefore require patient pastoral care and guidance. He emphasized that the parish did not rely upon a special formula for growth, but sought to remain faithful to the life of the Church and open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Thomas also spoke about study groups and the importance of preparing established parishioners to engage thoughtfully with those who come with questions about God, faith, and the Orthodox Church.

The discussion that followed addressed the challenge of maintaining Romanian language and cultural heritage while ministering effectively within an increasingly diverse North American society. Participants emphasized that one of the strongest elements of Romanian culture is hospitality and that this gift can become an important missionary strength when extended to everyone who enters an Orthodox parish.

The clergy also discussed the importance of speaking to people in a language they understand, incorporating appropriate use of different languages in parish life, and maintaining a responsible online presence through parish websites, livestreams, homilies, and social media.

The discussion acknowledged that many Orthodox clergy and communities did not originally understand themselves as missionaries in the contemporary North American context. Nevertheless, the present reality calls clergy and faithful to learn how to communicate the Orthodox Faith clearly and faithfully to those who are searching for God and seeking the truth.

The second session was presented by V. Rev. Protopresbyter Remus Grama and focused on the history of Romanians in the United States and their contributions to American society, particularly as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence.

Fr. Remus traced Romanian presence in North America from its early beginnings and highlighted the often-overlooked participation of Romanian immigrants and their descendants in American civic, military, religious, and cultural life. He noted that documenting this history can be difficult because many early Romanian immigrants arrived with Austro-Hungarian passports and were therefore not always identified as Romanians in official records.

Particular attention was given to General George Pomutz, who was born into a Romanian family in Gyula and later emigrated to the United States. Pomutz served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and rose to the rank of brigadier general. He was subsequently appointed United States consul in St. Petersburg by President Ulysses S. Grant and played a diplomatic role in matters surrounding the acquisition of Alaska from Russia.

General Pomutz died in St. Petersburg, and although various efforts were later made to return his remains to the United States, these plans were never realized. His memory continues to be honored by the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, including at the Episcopate’s headquarters at Vatra Românească.

Fr. Remus then traced the growth of Romanian immigration to the United States and Canada at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. Many immigrants came from Transylvania, Bucovina, and Banat, and migration often followed existing family and village connections: one immigrant would establish himself in North America and would later be followed by relatives, friends, and neighbors.

Initially, many intended to remain only long enough to earn sufficient money to return to Romania and purchase land. Over time, however, permanent Romanian communities developed, followed by churches, cultural organizations, newspapers, and mutual-aid societies.

The presentation recalled the establishment of the first Romanian Orthodox communities in North America, including Saint Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina, Saskatchewan, founded in the early twentieth century, in 1902, and Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1904, one of the foundational Romanian Orthodox communities in the United States.

The Romanian-language press also became an important means of preserving identity and maintaining connections among communities scattered across North America.

World War I marked another significant chapter in Romanian-American history. Romanian communities and parishes participated in relief efforts, supported humanitarian causes, and encouraged assistance for their homeland. Romanian Americans also volunteered for service in the United States Armed Forces, while Romanian-American women, inspired in part by the example of Queen Marie of Romania, participated in the work of the American Red Cross and other charitable efforts.

Following the union of the Romanian provinces and the consolidation of Romanian communities in North America, the need for an organized ecclesiastical structure became increasingly evident. These developments ultimately led to the establishment of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America in 1929.

Fr. Remus also recalled the growing visibility of Romanian culture and identity in the United States during the interwar period, including the historic visit of Queen Marie of Romania to America and the important role played by Romanian intellectual, religious, and cultural leaders.

During World War II, thousands of second-generation Romanian Americans served in the United States Armed Forces, with many making the ultimate sacrifice. Romanian Americans would continue to serve in subsequent conflicts and throughout the history of the United States.

The establishment of the communist regime in Romania following World War II opened another chapter in the mission of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate. Romanian Americans raised their voices on behalf of those suffering under communist oppression, while the Episcopate became an important defender of religious freedom and a link between Romanian communities in North America and those who could no longer speak freely in their homeland.

Vatra Românească and the institutions of the Episcopate provided a place where Romanian Americans could preserve their Orthodox faith and Romanian heritage while also speaking openly against the persecution and injustices of the communist regime.

The presentation emphasized that the history of Romanian Americans is inseparable from the wider history of the United States. Across generations, Romanian immigrants and their descendants contributed through military service, civic engagement, religious life, charitable work, culture, and the building of communities.

Following the second session of the Clergy Conference, those gathered received the newly published English-Romanian Akathist to Saint Herman of Alaska, prepared by the Department of Publications of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America especially for the 94th Annual Congress.

The day concluded with the Akathist to Saint Herman of Alaska, officiated by His Grace Bishop Andrei and assisted by priests participating in the Congress.

The prayer service held particular significance this year, as a fragment of the holy relics of Saint Herman of Alaska has been brought to South Florida for veneration during the 94th Annual Congress.

Thus, the opening day of the Congress brought together the past, present, and future of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America: gratitude for the generations of Romanian Orthodox faithful who built communities across North America, reflection upon the missionary challenges facing the Church today, and prayer for guidance as the Episcopate continues its ministry and witness in the United States and Canada.