Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in UK to launch chant school, colportage network, and pilgrimage centre

The newly established Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is launching a series of spiritual and cultural projects to strengthen the Romanian community’s religious identity in the United Kingdom. The announced initiatives include establishing a school of Byzantine chant, developing religious literature and items distribution (colportage), and creating a pilgrimage coordination centre.…

May 27, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Greek name ‘Sophia’ the world’s most beautiful name, study finds

The name Sophia stood out for its melodic sound and universal appeal across multiple languages, emerging as the top choice among participants in a study conducted by Dr. Bodo Winter, a cognitive linguistics expert at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The study involved a diverse group of participants who listened to the pronunciation of…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church to toll bells nationwide on Ascension Day in honor of National Heroes

On the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Thursday, May 29, 2025, at noon, the bells of all places of worship within the Romanian Patriarchate will ring in eternal remembrance, honor, and gratitude for the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the freedom, dignity, and unity of the Romanian people, for the confession of…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop of Sălaj highlights Christian leadership principles inspired by Saint Constantine the Great

“Those who listen to us do not seek perfect people, but sincere ones,” emphasized the Bishop of Sălaj last week during the patronal feast of the church in Șimleu Silvaniei. His Grace Bishop Benedict recalled that this year marks 1,700 years since the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, speaking about the gathering of bishops in…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian State Secretary visits Chișinău to strengthen ties with Metropolis of Bessarabia

Ciprian-Vasile Olinici, State Secretary for Religious Affairs in the Romanian Government, visited the Metropolitan Residence in Chișinău last Thursday, where he was received by the Metropolitan of Bessarabia. The discussions focused on the pastoral, social, and cultural activities of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, as well as on projects supported by the Romanian state. Father Gabriel-Andrei…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Teofan celebrates Iași Byzantine Music Festival as tribute to Saint Constantine’s legacy

His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, where he spoke about the Iași Byzantine Music Festival as a sign of gratitude for the legacy bestowed upon Moldavia through the labors of Saint Constantine the Great. “A few venues in the city, in Botoșani, and in Piatra…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Synod in Bucharest: New saints could be added to the Romanian Church’s calendar

The hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobruja met on Tuesday at the Patriarchal Residence in Bucharest under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, who also serves as Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobruja. The agenda included several decisions and discussion topics. Among them were proposals to include two new…

May 22, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Saint Constantine stood, not sat on a throne, at Nicaea Council out of reverence for persecuted bishops

At the historic patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the deep respect that Emperor Constantine the Great showed toward bishops persecuted by his predecessors. Recalling the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, the Patriarch emphasized that Saint Constantine initiated and presided over the ecclesiastical event. “When…

May 22, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian lawmakers establish National Day honouring religious freedom and the role of faith communities

Last week, the Chamber of Deputies approved a law establishing May 16 as the National Day of Religious Freedom and the Contribution of Religious Denominations to Romanian Society. The Senate passed the bill at the end of last year, and the law’s final version was submitted on Wednesday to the Secretary-General for potential constitutional review.…

May 22, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Diaspora Festival in Canada celebrates heritage and unity

The Romanian Diaspora Festival was held on Saturday in Chelsea, Canada, near the capital. His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian offered his blessing to participants and emphasized the importance of organizing such events. “Today, through this festival, we give voice to the joy of being together. We remember Romania not as a geographic location but as…

May 21, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

1,700 years since First Ecumenical Council: A foundational moment in shaping Christian doctrine

Exactly 1,700 years ago, on May 20, the First Ecumenical Council (of the entire Church) was convened in Nicaea — a foundational moment in shaping Christian doctrine. The Arian doctrine, which claimed that God the Son does not share the exact nature as God the Father, was the main reason that made a universal meeting…

May 21, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu