About us
With the blessing of His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuți, and through the involvement and coordination of Father Adrian Popa, Eparchial Counsellor within the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, the online store “Arimateea – Joys for the Soul” came into being.
More than a store offering religious items and books, Arimateea seeks to bring every believer closer to the beauty, symbolism and spiritual richness of the Orthodox tradition.
Every icon, book, vigil lamp, liturgical vessel, vestment or church item carries a special meaning and can become part of a person’s life of prayer and of their connection with the Church.
To better understand the role and significance of sacred objects, we invite you to discover the words of Father Adrian Popa, Counsellor within the Church Colportage Department of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți.
Church Objects – Witnesses to Faith
Church colportage plays an important missionary-cultural, social-philanthropic and economic role in the life of the Church, contributing to the affirmation of its spiritual identity and to its mission of sanctifying and renewing the world.
Icons, sacred vessels, incense and all other objects intended for church use are made available to the faithful so that they may be used with reverence, for the glory of God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Icon – A Window into the Kingdom of God
According to the words of Father Dumitru Stăniloae, the icon is a true “window through which man and God may look upon one another face to face.”
It is not merely an object of religious art, but also conveys the teaching and spiritual meaning associated with the person represented – whether our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Mother of God or one of the saints of the Church.
Through its beauty and presence, the icon accompanies the believer in prayer and reminds them of the calling to a life lived in communion with God.
Liturgical Vessels and Their Symbolism
Every object used during the holy services carries a profound meaning.
The chalice recalls the cup used by the Saviour at the Last Supper, while the diskos symbolises the manger in which the Lord was born.
The asterisk recalls the star that guided the Magi to the place of Christ’s Nativity, while the antimension symbolises the burial cloth in which the Lord’s body was laid.
The liturgical spear recalls the lance with which the Saviour was pierced on the Cross, while the liturgical spoon is associated with the tongs with which the seraph took the burning coal from the altar and touched the lips of the Prophet Isaiah for purification (Isaiah 6:6).
The censer and incense symbolise prayer rising before God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit:
“Let my prayer be set before You as incense.” (Psalm 140:2)
Liturgical Vestments
The vestments worn by the ministers of the Church also carry rich spiritual symbolism.
The sticharion recalls the luminous garment of the angels.
The liturgical cuffs symbolise both the binding of the Saviour’s hands during His Passion and the power of God bestowed upon His servants through the Mystery of Ordination.
The epitrachelion recalls the grace and teaching of Christ, while the phelonion symbolises divine power and the robe placed upon the Saviour before His Crucifixion.
The Beauty of Orthodoxy – Seen and Lived
Saint Symeon of Thessalonica explains the symbolism of the objects and elements found within the house of the Lord.
The pillars supporting the iconostasis express the distinction between material and spiritual realities, separating the nave from the Holy Altar.
Church bells are like a call and a voice gathering the faithful towards God.
The light within the church recalls divine light, while incense symbolises the beauty of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the prayer that rises towards heaven.
Books and Church Art
Through religious books and ecclesiastical art, both the teachings of the faith and the beauty of Orthodoxy are transmitted, as reflected in icons, painting, embroidery, chanting and all objects intended for worship.
Orthodoxy is not only truth, but also beauty, because the glory of God illuminates and beautifies the whole of creation.
In the life of the Church, seeing and hearing complement one another. Our Saviour Jesus Christ is called both the Word of God (cf. John 1:1) and “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).
“He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.” (John 12:45)
As theologian Paul Evdokimov also expressed, the face of Christ reveals to humanity the love and presence of God.
Church Colportage and Supporting the Mission of the Church
The production, purchase and sale of sacred objects and religious books also contribute to supporting the activities carried out by the Church.
According to the Statute for the Organisation and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church, church colportage is organised at the various structural levels of the Romanian Orthodox Church, under the coordination of the Holy Synod.
Furthermore, according to Law no. 103/1992, every religious denomination recognised by the Romanian State benefits from the rights provided by law regarding the production and sale of objects specific to its religious worship.
Therefore, church colportage does not have a merely commercial dimension, but also contributes to supporting the Church’s mission and its pastoral, cultural and philanthropic activities.
Joys for the Soul and for Every Believer’s Home
The presence of a religious goods store responds, above all, to a spiritual need.
An icon placed in our home, a spiritual book opened in a quiet moment, the light of a vigil lamp or the fragrance of incense during prayer can help us keep closer to our hearts the sense of God’s presence and our connection with the life of the Church.
Through Arimateea – Joys for the Soul, we wish for these objects to reach the homes of the faithful with care and respect and to become, beyond mere objects, small witnesses to faith, prayer and the beauty of Orthodoxy.