Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanians and Serbians jointly proclaim Christ’s Resurrection in Vršac: It is undoubtfully a celebration of the Light

Orthodox Romanians and Serbs observed Holy Saturday night by traditionally proclaiming the Resurrection of the Lord in the heart of Vršac, where the administrative centres of the Diocese of Dacia Felix and the Diocese of Banat of the Serbian Patriarchate are situated. After offering the Holy Fire at the cathedral, Bishop Ieronim of Dacia Felix…

May 8, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel at Pascha Vigil: Three great truths about the Lord’s Resurrection

At the Resurrection Vigil on Holy Saturday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel addressed the thousands of believers on the Hill of the Patriarchate, highlighting three great truths related to the Resurrection of Christ. Three great truths about the Lord’s Resurrection “The first truth. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is not His return to the…

May 7, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: The Holy Fire is offered to those who believe in Christ and love him

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the Holy Fire from Jerusalem on Holy Saturday evening at the Patriarchal Cathedral. He explained that it is a gift from God: “Through this Holy Fire, we have the sign of the love of Christ, the Light of the World.” “The Holy Fire is a gift of God, which is…

May 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolitan meets with Moldova’s President Maia Sandu

On Good Friday, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia met with Her Excellency Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova. Metropolitan Petru discussed the objectives, pastoral duties, and social engagements of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Bessarabia. The metropolitan website reported that His Eminence emphasised the significance of peace and unity in society and…

May 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch: Orthodox spirituality does not recognize the utopianism of a Resurrection without Crucifixion, nor the pessimism of the Cross without the Resurrection

“Orthodox spirituality does not recognize the utopianism of a Resurrection without Crucifixion, nor the pessimism of the Cross without the Resurrection,” noted His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his patriarchal encyclical for Holy Pascha. Full text: Patriarchal Encyclical for Holy Pascha of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew †Bartholomew By God’s Mercy, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical…

May 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Teofan’s Easter encyclical calls for prayer for those troubled by war

“Let us show a merciful heart towards those in need. Let us raise a thought of prayer for our fellows whose lives are troubled by the war in Ukraine, in the Holy Land and other parts of the world,” Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina urged in his Easter encyclical. At the same time, His Eminence Metropolitan…

May 3, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Raise the Cross, not the sword: Bishop Sebastian urges prayer for those in conflicts

In his pastoral letter for Holy Pascha, His Grace Bishop Sebastian of Slatina and Romanati advised the faithful to reject partisanship in the context of the current wars and to pray for all parties involved: “Let us raise the Cross instead of the sword and seek peace, not war; that peace that the Lord gave…

May 3, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop meets with Bucharest Anglican church former chaplain

His Grace patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiești welcomed Rev. Hugh Wybrew, former chaplain of the Anglican Church in Bucharest between 1971 and 1973, for an audience at the Palace of the Patriarchate on Wednesday, May 1. Viorel Coman, patriarchal adviser at the Department for inter-church and inter-religious relations of the Patriarchal Administration, and Rev. Nevsky…

May 2, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolitan urges to emulate myrrhbearers’ courage and confess spiritual and national identity

“We are responsible for standing upright and confessing the true faith, the true Orthodox values, defending our Romanian spiritual identity, and resembling the myrrh-bearing women,” His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia wrote in his pastoral letter for Holy Pascha 2024. “Full of courage, faith, zeal, and love, let us preach peace and forgiveness and share…

May 2, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s 2024 Easter Message: The Resurrection is the celebration of Christ’s humble and merciful love

In his Easter message, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel recalled that Christ’s Resurrection celebrates His humble and merciful love for all. “The Resurrection of the Lord is the celebration of Christ’s humble and merciful love, the One who overcame hatred, violence and death, giving people eternal life. That is why Holy Pascha is the celebration of forgiveness, peace…

May 2, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox photographers’ community OrthPhoto marks its 20th anniversary

OrthPhoto, an international organisation of Orthodox photographers, observed its 20th anniversary this month. The OrthPhoto community was established amidst the descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem on April 10, 2004. Over the past twenty years, the community has amassed a membership of over 120,000 individuals hailing from more than eighty countries. The gradual emergence…

Apr 26, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu