Aurelian Iftimiu

2024 Solemn Year Icon: Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, the Physician of our souls and bodies

The representative icon of the Solemn Year of the pastoral care of the sick in the Romanian Patriarchate depicts our Lord Jesus Christ carrying a lamb on His shoulders. The icon includes the inscription “IC XC (Jesus Christ), the Good Shepherd, the Physician of our souls and bodies” and was exhibited for veneration inside the…

Jan 8, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolitan’s Christmas message: Priests contributed to the consolidation of communities

A few days before the old calendar Christmas celebration, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru sent a pastoral letter expressing his appreciation for the efforts of parish priests within the Metropolis of Bessarabia. “Another essential aspect of this year is the commendable efforts of the parish priests, who sacrificed themselves in every parish to serve the faithful,”…

Jan 6, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

60 years since St Nikephoros the Leper’s blessed repose. How he was included in the Romanian Church’s calendar

Thursday, January 4, 2024, marks the 60th anniversary of the blessed repose of Saint Nikephoros the Leper, a holy healer and miracle worker of our times. The Venerable Nikephoros was included in the calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church by the resolution of the Holy Synod of July 21, 2021, when the texts of the…

Jan 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Proclamation Act for Romanian Patriarchate’s 2024 Solemn and Commemorative Year: full text

The Romanian Patriarchate designated 2024 as the Commemorative Year of all the holy unmercenary healers and the Solemn Year of the Pastoral Care of the Sick. The Patriarch of Romania presided over the proclamation ceremony at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, following the solemn Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great on New Year’s Day.…

Jan 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel begins 2024 expressing gratitude for the gift of the past and hope for the future

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasised the importance of gratitude for the gift of the past and hope for the future at a solemn service performed on New Year’s Eve at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. At the thanksgiving service officiated Sunday night, Patriarch Daniel stressed the importance of time as…

Jan 3, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s end-of-year advice: Cultivate peace! Value health!

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the civil New Year with prayers at the Patriarchal Cathedral. His Beatitude addressed the faithful, highlighting the value of time, and reminded them that 2024 would be dedicated to the pastoral care of the sick, so he urged everyone to cultivate peace and value health. “The new year we have…

Jan 2, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Dacia Felix Bishop visits elderly persons at Vršac retirement home

His Grace Bishop Ieronim of Dacia Felix visited a retirement home in Vršac, Serbia, to give his blessing and gifts to the residents as part of the observance of the Solemn Year of the pastoral care of the elderly. The visit took place on December 22. During the pastoral visit, the residents were presented with…

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Suceava Orthodox youth offer gifts of food to disadvantaged families on Romania-Ukraine border

Ahead of Christmas, Suceava’s Orthodox Youth Association (ATOS) carried out a new edition of its campaign titled “We care! We stand by you! God is with us!” in the localities on the border between Romania and Ukraine. At this year’s edition, 30 families from Mușenita commune, including the villages of Climăuți, Baineț, Vicșani, Băncești and…

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Basilica Photos: The year 2023 in 100 pictures

We invite you on a virtual journey where we will explore together the most captivating and significant images captured by Basilica News Agency photographers in the year 2023. Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene & Mircea Florescu Follow us on Twitter: @BasilicaPhotos

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Archdeacon Mihail Bucă awarded patriarchal Order of the Praying Theotokos

During a ceremony at the patriarchal residence on Christmas Eve, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel bestowed the second highest distinction in the Romanian Patriarchate upon Archdeacon Mihail Bucă, protopsaltes of the Patriarchal Cathedral and conductor of the Tronos Byzantine Choir. The Order of the Praying Theotokos (Virgin Orans) was conferred as a token of gratitude for…

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel explains spiritual meanings of the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt

“The flight into Egypt recounted by the Evangelist Matthew has many spiritual meanings,” His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel stressed in his sermon at Cernica Monastery, where he attended the Divine Liturgy on December 26. The first spiritual meaning is that “God takes care of every person, especially children who cannot defend or protect themselves.” Patriarch Daniel…

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu