Aurelian Iftimiu

Man sanctifies the place: How Romanians transformed a warehouse into a church in Italy

An Orthodox service was served for the first time in the Romanian Church in Montichiari, Italy, on Tuesday evening, February 9. Dean Rev. Gelu Porumb, the parish priest Gabriel Pandrea and several other clerics officiated the Lesser Sanctification of Waters and the Mystery of Unction, the Romanian Diocese of Italy reports. The story of the…

Feb 16, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania marks International Greek Language Day with Vasilopita cutting, online event

The celebration of the International Greek Language Day began in Romania three years ago. The legislative initiative belonged to Dragos Gabriel Zisopol, chairman of the Hellenic Union in Romania. February 9 has been selected as the day to celebrate the Greek language because it coincides with the Commemoration Day of Greece’s “national poet” Dionysios Solomos.…

Feb 16, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Iasi Archdiocese to build Saint Emilia Maternity Home

The Orthodox Archdiocese of Iași wants to start the construction of a new maternity home dedicated to Saint Emilia, the mother of Saint Basil the Great, reads a report issued by the Archdiocese’s Press Office. The establishment of the new maternity home was listed among the Archdiocese’s objectives for 2021 during the Archdiocesan Assembly on…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Maramureș Diocese wants every parish to have a mortuary chapel

“No parish community without a mortuary chapel,” is the title of the new program of the Orthodox Diocese of Maramures and Satmar announced by Bishop Justin during the diocesan assembly on February 6. This project is linked to this year’s commemorative theme given by the Holy Synod, in an attempt to highlight the liturgical and…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Volunteer student at Covid-19 Hospital: “I saw how it is to die alone. We should appreciate our family more”

Volunteering in a Covid-19 hospital is a transformative experience on a personal level, explained a medical student at the Lower Danube University of Galați. “I saw how it is to die in complete loneliness,” he said. “I think this vulnerability should make us appreciate more what really matters: family and friends.” Răzvan Iacob, a sixth-year…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Diocesan Assembly: Bălți Bishop declares confidence of successfully building cathedral, cultural centre

“I have great confidence. We will succeed both with the centre and with the cathedral. We will succeed with all our mission. We will succeed,” Bishop Antonie repeated in the opening remarks at the annual meeting of the Diocesan Assembly of Bălți on Feb. 4. The Bishop of Bălți said that he is not alone…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Italy’s Romanian Bishop offers his reflections in time of pandemic: We forgot that death is so close

In an interview published on the diocese’s website, Italy’s Romanian Bishop Siluan shares his thoughts on how the pandemic changed the life of the bishops, clergy and believers on the Peninsula. Adaptation, prayer, hope, eternal life are the keywords in the interview. Bishop Siluan referred to the loss of jobs and the pastoral methods that…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Antioch Patriarchate about COVID-19 vaccines: “It is a personal decision”

The Patriarchate of Antioch published a statement on the anti-Covid-19 vaccines noting that ‘the Church considers that the matter of vaccination is not the speciality of the field of theological and spiritual studies, but rather specific to the field of medical sciences and its authorities.’ Church encourages scientific research The text structured in seven points…

Feb 15, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Petroniu opens up about his coronavirus experience: I learned how fragile are we humans

At the end of 2020, His Grace Bishop Petroniu of Salaj became infected with the new coronavirus. His health quickly deteriorated, so he had to be hospitalized. After 37 days of hospitalization, he overcame the difficult period, but the disease’s traces can still be seen now, a few months away. “During the night, I am…

Feb 10, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

US Orthodox Bishops reaffirm life’s sanctity: All humans, whether in the womb or in the world, are made in the image of God

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America published a message reaffirming the sanctity of life based on the firm conviction that life starts at the moment of conception. “All humans, whether in the womb or in the world, are made in the image and likeness of God, possessing God-given beauty…

Feb 7, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania’s Buzău Land, one step closer to becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark

Buzău Land (Ținutul Buzăului) in Romania is just one step away from becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark, which means that it would be recognized as a territory with natural and cultural values of international importance. In December 2020, Ținutul Buzăului Association sent to Paris the file of the 18 communes that constitute the Land, to…

Feb 7, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu