Aurelian Iftimiu

Alba Iulia Archbishop Irineu: Great Lent is a time of purification and illumination

In a message at the beginning of Great Lent, Archbishop Irineu of Alba Iulia called the Lenten season “a time of purification and illumination.” The Romanian Archbishop noted that fasting “is a gift offered to us by the Church”, and through specific religious services, we are reminded that “sin and death have distanced us from…

Feb 27, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

We tried to respond to all needs: Filantropia Federation, a year of assistance for Ukrainian refugees

Friday marks one year since the start of the war in Ukraine and the beginning of the population exodus from Romania’s neighbouring country. Nevertheless, representatives of the Filantropia Federation of the Romanian Patriarchate continue to provide assistance. “We tried to respond to all the needs,” said Father Ciprian Ioniță, patriarchal adviser and president of the…

Feb 24, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Germany’s Romanian hierarchs meet with Bavaria Minister President

Metropolitan Serafim of the Romanian Metropolis of Germany and his assistant bishop Sofian of Brașov were part of a delegation of the Romanian community in Bavaria invited to the residence of Bavarian Minister President Dr Markus Söder. Her Excellency Adriana-Loreta Stănescu, the Romanian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied the Romanians to the…

Feb 22, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Munich church centre: The most significant Romanian foundation in Bavaria

On Monday, the Deputy General Secretary of NATO, Mircea Geoană, attended the Divine Liturgy held in the Hall of Crosses at the Munich Church Centre. The distinguished guest was given a tour of the establishment, after which he posted a message of appreciation on his Facebook and Instagram profiles. Mircea Geoană wrote that the Church…

Feb 22, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Theophany, Synaxis of St. John to become public holidays in Romania

Two more Church feasts are set to become public holidays in Romania starting next year. A draft law calling for January 6, the feast of the Theophany of the Lord, and the next day, the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist, to become state-recognised holidays easily passed through both the Senate and the Chamber of…

Feb 20, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Banat Metropolitan Ioan: Europe deserves a Cultural Capital founded by martyrs

In a message occasioned by the official launch of Timisoara 2023 European Capital of Culture year, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioan of Banat stressed that Europe deserves a Cultural Capital founded by martyrs, recalling that Timisoara is a martyr city. “Man is born only once in life. A country is born several times. The last time…

Feb 20, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Deva’s newly-ordained assistant bishop Gherontie expresses awe in new “heavy and fearful responsibility”

The Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral in Deva hosted the ordination to the episcopacy of the new assistant bishop to the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara during the hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday. The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurentiu of Transylvania and included sixteen other concelebrating hierarchs. The Very Rev.…

Feb 20, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Open Doors report: 2022 was the worst year for Christians worldwide

Open Doors releases its annual World Watch List 2023, confirming that one out of every seven Christians worldwide suffers high persecution and discrimination for their faith. According to the data reported, more than 360 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.  Similar numbers were recorded last year. However, the score…

Feb 20, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate urges support for Turkey-Syria earthquake victims

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to help the Orthodox communities in Syria and Turkey, severely affected by the devastating earthquake that occurred at the beginning of last week. The earthquake affected the communities of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Alexandretta, Mersin and Antakia in Turkey, as well as the communities in…

Feb 14, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian diaspora in figures: More baptisms, weddings and conversions to Orthodoxy in 2022

The yearly report of the Romanian Patriarchate detailed the development of Romanian Orthodox dioceses abroad. Outside of the existing borders of Romania, the Romanian Patriarchate holds jurisdiction over four archdioceses and nine dioceses. Additionally, archdioceses serve as metropolitan centres. In these dioceses, there were a total of 1,483 parishes and non-parochial churches at the end…

Feb 14, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Clarification regarding the decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Patriarchate to recognise the autocephaly of the Church in North Macedonia

On February 9, 2023, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church approved the recognition of the autocephaly granted to the Orthodox Church in the Republic of North Macedonia by the Patriarchate of Serbia through its synodal tomos issued on June 5, 2022. During the synodal session, the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of May…

Feb 13, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu