Aurelian Iftimiu

Italy’s Bambino Gesù hospital partners with Romania for pediatric oncology support

Romania’s Ambassador to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, His Excellency George Bologan, participated in the signing ceremony of a Letter of Intent regarding cooperation between the Fundeni Clinical Institute and the renowned “Bambino Gesù” Pediatric Hospital of the Vatican (OPBG). The document was signed by University Professor Anca Coliță, manager…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian bishop and diplomats celebrate diaspora identity at Windsor’s “Romanian Village” Festival

His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada and Her Excellency Oana Gherghe, Romania’s Consul General in Toronto, took part last week in the “Romanian Village” Festival organized by the Romanian Orthodox parish in Windsor, Ontario. The festival is part of the “Carousel of Nations” – a multicultural celebration in Windsor bringing together various ethnic communities…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

French Ambassador visits Metropolitan Petru to discuss Orthodox Church’s role in Moldova’s European Path

His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia received a visit on Wednesday from Her Excellency Dominique Waag, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the Republic of Moldova. The meeting marked the first official dialogue between the two institutions, intending to strengthen and develop future cooperation in spiritual, social, and cultural areas. Strengthening Cooperation…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Saint Nicholas’ right hand and Brâncoveanu relics taken to Vienna via Hungary

Relics of Saint Nicholas and Saint Constantine Brâncoveanu were transferred on Tuesday from the “New St. George” Church in Bucharest to the diocesan Cathedral in Gyula, Hungary. The holy relics will be venerated during a pilgrimage in several Romanian Orthodox parishes in Vienna and the surrounding regions. The right hand of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Local Synods propose canonization of five holy women from both sides of the Prut River

The Local Synods of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Bukovina and the Metropolis of Bessarabia convened jointly on Thursday in Iași, Romania. During the session, the hierarchs approved proposals for the canonization of five women recognized for their saintly lives, originating from both banks of the Prut River. The Synod of the Metropolis of Moldavia…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Benelux Orthodox Bishops to establish joint commission for Catholic-Orthodox dialogue in Belgium

The Assembly of Orthodox Bishops in Benelux held its 30th meeting on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Orthodox Archdiocese in Brussels, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. During the meeting, the bishops agreed to establish a Joint Commission for Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Belgium. The initiative…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Sihăstria Monastery invites faithful at local canonization of Saints Paisius and Cleopas

The local canonization of Saints Paisius and Cleopas will take place on August 7 at Sihăstria Monastery, Neamț County, during a series of festivities dedicated to local saints. The events will begin on August 5 with the commemoration of Saint John Jacob of Neamț. The relics of the two venerable elders were exhumed in late…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania takes action against clerical impersonation

On Wednesday, the plenary session of Romania’s Chamber of Deputies passed a bill that clarifies the prohibition against the unauthorised exercise of clerical and monastic functions and ensures the exclusive right of religious denominations over modes of veneration for canonised, beatified, sanctified individuals, or those recognised as righteous or symbolic identity figures. According to Agerpres,…

Jun 19, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Escape the idolatry of performance! We sanctify by presenting ourselves to God as we are, Bucharest abbot says

“Holiness, indeed, is the impossible. It is the impossible that God demands of man,” Protosyncellus Arsenie Irimiea, the abbot of Darvari Skete Monastery in Bucharest, told the faithful on the Sunday of All Saints. Yet, most often, we “offer God mere theatre,” he cautioned. In this regard, the abbot recalled that God tells the Israelites…

Jun 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Young Orthodox from France, Switzerland, and Canada meet in Paris for Pentecost Nepsis Congress

Young members of the Nepsis movement from France, Switzerland, and Canada gathered in Paris for their annual congress themed “The Presence of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives.” The event was held over Pentecost weekend and began with a warm welcome at the Cathedral of the Holy Archangels in Paris. The congress opened with the…

Jun 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolis expands domestic violence prevention as Social Mission Diaconia publishes 2024 report

In 2024, the Metropolis of Bessarabia tackled domestic violence as part of its social mission, as underscored in the activity report, which highlighted the Church’s growing involvement in domestic violence prevention in the Republic of Moldova. This engagement began with the organization of the conference “Family Under the Protection of Faith: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Domestic Violence”, which…

Jun 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu