On August 1, 2021, Father Nicolae Lauruc has officially begun his new role as the vicar of the Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate in Romania. Vicar Nicolae Lauruc celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in his new dignity at the Orthodox Church in Ruscova, Maramures County, for the feast of the Glorious Prophet Elijah, according to the unrevised calendar (August 2).
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in both Romanian and Ukrainian, reported orthodoxtimes.com.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Fr Nicolae Lauruc presented the former vicar Fr. Ioan Pitura with an icon depicting Saint John the Russian that contains a particle of the Saint’s relics. This gift was a token of gratitude for the 30 years of ministry as vicar of the Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate.
In his word, Father Ioan Pițura thanked God for all the blessings bestowed upon him. He also thanked Patriarch Daniel for his fatherly care. for all the vicarage clergy and the faithful present.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate is an administrative-territorial unit canonically dependent on the Romanian Patriarchate, dedicated to Ukrainian Orthodox believers living in Romania. They participate in services held in their mother tongue by Ukrainian priests or Ukrainian speakers.
Currently, the Vicariate is based in the city of Sighetu Marmației (Maramureș County) and includes believers from the northern part of the country (Maramureș, Transylvania, Crișana, Banat).
In 1952, the Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate was transformed into a Ukrainian Orthodox Deanery, based in the commune of Poienile de sub Munte, Maramureş County, under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Diocese of Cluj, receiving financial support from the Romanian Patriarchate.
After 1989, by the Decision of the Holy Synod no. 1432/12 February 1990, the Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate was re-established, being directly canonically dependent on the Romanian Patriarchate.