Aurelian Iftimiu

British ambassador meets Metropolitan Antonie to discuss religious freedom and social welfare

Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia and Her Excellency Fern Horine, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, discussed religious freedom and the Church’s social mission on Thursday. The meeting took place at the Metropolis’ headquarters in Chișinău, where the Metropolitan outlined both the challenges facing Church communities and the projects being developed to support…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian and Israeli experts begin talks on restoring historic Romanian monastery at River Jordan

The first official bilateral meeting between Romanian and Israeli experts on restoring the Romanian Skete at the River Jordan took place on Wednesday at the monastic establishment. Archimandrite Ioan Meiu, Representative of the Romanian Patriarchate in the Holy Land, announced it in a social media post. Architect Bogdan Teodorescu and conservator-restorer Cătălin Palamariu attended the…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Pan-Orthodox conference calls for discernment over astrology, divination and magic

The Pan-Orthodox Conference on Heresies and Para-Religions concluded by adopting 17 conclusions in which representatives of the Orthodox Churches called for discernment in the face of occult practices. The final document was unanimously approved on Thursday and sets out the Orthodox Church’s theological and pastoral position on these practices, drawing on Holy Scripture and the…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox community near Paris secures land for church and cultural centre

The Romanian Orthodox parish in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, France, has recently purchased a plot of land, with support from Romania’s Department for Romanians Abroad, to build its own place of worship. Her Excellency Ioana Bivolaru, Romania’s Ambassador to France, visited the community in October, when the parish marked the occasion with prayers, and expressed her support…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox bishop baptises Swedish mother and son after two years of preparation

Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe baptised two Swedish nationals, a mother and son, last weekend at the Romanian Orthodox parish church in Uppsala, Sweden. On the same occasion, seven young Scandinavians became catechumens. Maria and Martin Hoppe chose to join the Orthodox Church after nearly two years of preparation. “I was a catechumen for almost…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Goodness is not truly good unless it is shared: Bishop Siluan blesses new community centre in Piacenza

“Goodness is not truly good unless it is shared with others. Because joy, too, is not truly joy unless you share it with others, unless you allow others to share in your joy,” said His Grace Bishop Siluan of Italy on Sunday. The hierarch celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Romanian Orthodox Church of St…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox parishes in eastern Germany reorganised into two deaneries

The Romanian Orthodox Deanery of Eastern Germany has been reorganised into two new ecclesiastical districts: the Saxony-Thuringia Deanery, headed by Fr Cezar Burlacu, and the Berlin-Brandenburg Deanery, headed by Fr Ioan-Dragoș Manu. The reorganisation was announced to clergy on Saturday during the autumn meeting of the Eastern Germany Deanery, held at the Romanian Orthodox parish…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel honours Cambridge Orthodox institute leaders for academic work

Fr Dragoș Herescu, Director of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS) in Cambridge, and Răzvan Porumb, the institute’s Deputy Director and Director of Research, received the Order of Faith and Communion from His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. The decorations were presented during a visit to the Patriarchal Residence on the feast of St Demetrius the…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

‘The future of the human person rests in God’s hands’: Patriarch Daniel’s message to Corinth conference on pseudo-spirituality

In a message to the 36th Pan-Orthodox Conference in Corinth, Greece, Patriarch Daniel addressed the challenges posed by magic, astrology, divination and other forms of contemporary pseudo-spirituality. His Grace Bishop Siluan, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary, represented His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel at the Conference and conveyed the patriarchal message to the participants. In his…

Nov 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox bishops in Benelux condemn attack on Jordanian church, discuss Christian persecution

Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț, of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe, attended the 33rd meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Benelux, held on Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium. The hierarch attended as the representative of Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe. Other participants included Metropolitan Isaak (Patriarchate of Antioch), Bishop…

Nov 5, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Churches discuss astrology, magic and fortune-telling at conference in Greece

The Metropolis of Corinth, Greece, hosted the 36th Pan-Orthodox Conference on Heresies and Para-Religions from 3 to 5 November, organised by the Church of Greece. This year’s theme is “Magic, Divination, Astrology and the Prediction of the Future”, and the Romanian Patriarchate was represented by Bishop Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary, according to the…

Nov 5, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu