On the occasion of the national day of Canada on July 1, 2019 Bishop Ioan Casian celebrated a TeDeum service. At the end of the religious service, the hierarch of Canada said:
It is a celebration day for all who live in Canada. We give glory to God on this day for all the good things granted to us and for all who have preceded us on this soil.
We also remember on this occasion that Christians were among the first to come here, helping to build the society we live in today. The Orthodox presence has been felt especially since the 19th century and the Romanian one at the end of the 19th and early 20th century.
Each ethnic group has contributed in its way to the edification and development of Canada. Christian values have been at the heart of the society here. In the same way, the Romanians who first came here, especially in the West of Canada, in the province of Alberta, founded the first Romanian settlements, such as the village of Boian (Alberta), which still exists today with the church consecrated in 1905.
The generations who came after 1989 took over the Romanian Church heritage, multiplied it by countless new churches, and continue through prayer to promote the Christian orthodox identity and Romanian culture. The Romanian community with its history and culture along other communities contributed to the prosperity of Canada.
We also think today to the three protectors of our Diocese - the Mother of God, St. Ap. Andrew and St. John Casian, and their prayers for the Canadian soil as well as to our missionary role in the continuation and the strengthening of Christian life here.
We have reminded in the prayer the leaders, the judges, the pastors, the soldiers, and all the people living here. We prayed God that everyone receive the inspiration of his spirit in the mission everyone has in society.
