Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church marks 139th autocephaly anniversary: Recognizing no other authority but the Saviour God-man

Today marks 139 years since the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognized the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church, an essential moment for the Church and the Romanian State, which had won its independence from the Ottoman Empire (1877). “Essentially, autocephaly is the recognition of the spiritual maturity and administrative and pastoral freedom of an Orthodox Church in…

Apr 25, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Sepulchre: Up to 4,200 people permitted for Holy Fire ceremony

Representatives of the Common Technical Bureau of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem announced the utmost number of pilgrims permitted to attend the Holy Fire Ceremony on Holy Saturday. Theodosios Mitropoulos, the architect of the Church of the Resurrection, and Nagib Naser, the architect of the Franciscan Brotherhood, confirmed to the Tourist Police station that…

Apr 25, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolitan’s message on Day of Remembrance of victims of 1946-1947 famine: Never forget their suffering

His Eminence Metropolitan Petru issued a message honouring the victims of the organised famine that ravaged Bessarabia from 1946 to 1947. “We bow our heads and knees to the memory of the reposed and promise never to forget their suffering and the lesson they left us,” the Metropolitan of Bessarabia said. This commemoration takes place…

Apr 22, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Georgian Ambassador to Bucharest visits Library of Holy Synod

Her Excellency Tamar Beruchashvili, Georgia’s Ambassador to Bucharest, visited the Library of the Holy Synod at St Anthimos Monastery on Thursday, April 18. Consul David Chachava accompanied the Georgian Ambassador. The Very Rev. Archimandrite Policarp Chitulescu, the Library of the Holy Synod director, welcomed the Georgian officials. The purpose of the visit was to coordinate…

Apr 22, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

St Mary Magdalene’s relics arrive in Paris: You called her in the struggle for salvation, Bp Galaction says

Friday evening, a delegation from the Diocese of Alexandria and Teleorman arrived in Paris, bearing the sacred relics of Saint Mary Magdalene. The reliquary remained at the Three Holy Hierarchs church in La Courneuve, north of the French capital, until Sunday. The relics were welcomed by His Grace Nectarie of Brittany, Assistant Bishop to the…

Apr 22, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

2024 Romfilatelia Easter stamps showcase Stavropoleos monastery icons of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection

This year, Romfilatelia has released Easter-themed postage stamps featuring images that recount the narrative of Christ’s Resurrection and Passion. Romfilatelia selected Stavropoleos monastery for its Easter stamp issue because this year marks the 300th anniversary of the monastery’s consecration. On April 5, 2024, Romfilatelia distributed the stamps to post offices nationwide. The 2024 Holy Easter…

Apr 19, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Moldova holds national census: Bessarabia Metropolitan urges residents to declare their Romanian identity

In a message published on the Metropolis of Bessarabia’s official website, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru urged the faithful in the Republic of Moldova to participate in the Population and Housing Census and identify as Romanian by nationality and mother tongue. Metropolitan Petru noted that this year’s Census on Population and Housing is “a good opportunity…

Apr 18, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Siluan of Hungary: A community without children has no future

In an interview for the weekly publication Formula AS, Bishop Siluan of Hungary spoke about the declining Romanian community in Hungary. “It would be very important that young families in Romania, as well as the Romanian community in Hungary, be supported by the Romanian state and encouraged to have at least two children,” His Grace…

Apr 18, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Young Finns increasingly converting to Orthodoxy, says Finnish abbot

In an interview with Yle.fi, the young abbot of New Valaam Monastery, Archimandrite Mikael Nummela, said that young people between 18 and 30 increasingly convert to Orthodoxy in Finland. The abbot leads weekly discussions with young individuals who are contemplating the vocation of monasticism or converting to Orthodoxy. In recent decades, New Valaam has had…

Apr 16, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Government, religious denominations consolidate their collaboration. Romania to establish Religious Freedom Day

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and other representatives of religious denominations officially recognised in Romania met with state representatives at the National Art Museum on Wednesday, April 10. The participants discussed aspects related to consolidating their collaboration at a social level. “Today, the Romanian Orthodox Church is convinced that in cooperation with state institutions, it can…

Apr 16, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Growing number of Romanian parishes in Canada: New Orthodox mission established in Oakville

A new Romanian Orthodox Mission was established in Oakville last week, dedicated to the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen and Saint Paisios (Velichkovsky) of Neamț. On the third Sunday of Lent, Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the community’s place of worship. The bishop blessed the church and presented an…

Apr 9, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu