Aurelian Iftimiu

Nativity Fast: Let Christ show us how He sees the world, Metropolitan Iosif urges

‘Let Christ show us how He sees the world, how He sees our neighbour and each of us, and let Him look through our eyes,’ urged Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe in a message at the beginning of the Nativity Fast 2020. The Romanian Metropolitan stressed that the effort during the fasting period…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Calinic points to 3 conditions for Nativity Fast to achieve its intended purpose

Archbishop Calinic of Suceava and Radauti sent a message at the beginning of the Nativity Fast reminding that ‘fasting is an opportunity to free the body from the bondage of matter, which tends to manifest itself on the soul as well.’ ‘There are three inseparable conditions for fasting to achieve its intended purpose: forgiveness, almsgiving…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate urges people to donate blood and COVID-19 convalescent plasma

With the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, in 2012 the Archdiocese of Bucharest started a blood donation campaign called “A drop of blood for the life of his neighbour”. Starting with 2014, with the approval of the Holy Synod, this campaign was extended nationwide throughout the Romanian Patriarchate under the slogan “Donate blood, save…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel sends condolences to Serbian Holy Synod after repose of Patriarch Irinej

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his ‘deep sorrow’ to the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church after the repose of Patriarch Irinej on Friday. Calling the Serbian Patriarch ‘a venerable and well-known personality of contemporary Orthodoxy,’ Patriarch Daniel prays for the rest of his soul among the righteous ‘in the light, peace and love…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania’s Transylvania, on National Geographic’s list of destinations on the rise for 2021

For families increasingly tethered to technology, a future farm stay here would be a chance to unplug, to spend time instead traveling by horse-drawn cart, hiking in the wooded Carpathian Mountains, and helping with chores like milking sheep, collecting eggs, and piling haystacks, says National Geographic about a future holiday in Transylvania in an article…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Cluj Orthodox Cathedral lit teal joining WHO strategy to accelerate elimination of cervical cancer

The Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Cluj-Napoca glowed teal on Tuesday night for Cervical Cancer elimination. The Metropolis of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj has joined the first-ever global commitment to eliminate a cancer initiated by the World Health Organization. The event was organized by the “Prof. Ion Chiricuta” Oncological Institute in Cluj-Napoca in partnership with the…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

10 Saints Gregory in the calendar: How to tell them apart

The name Gregory is mentioned ten times in the calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church, four of which in November. Every time this name is linked to a saintly person who embraced the monastic life. Etymologically, the name Gregory comes from Greek and it means ‘vigilant,’ ‘watchful,’ ‘alert.’ The name also became associated with Latin grex (stem greg–)…

Nov 18, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: November 9 – 15, 2020

Last week’s selection of pictures is marked by colourful autumn landscapes, church celebrations and joyful communion. Last week’s most-liked Instagram post:   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Basilica News Agency (@basilica.ro) Do you want to be featured in our weekly selection of photos? We would gladly include one of your…

Nov 17, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

New church to be built in Căușeni in honour of Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs

The Bishop of Southern Bessarabia laid the foundation stone for a new church in honour of the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs in Căușeni, Republic of Moldova, during a ceremony held Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Orthodox parish operates in a temporary place of worship, a chapel built in 2014. This is currently the only church in the…

Nov 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel welcomes new French Ambassador to Romania

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the new French Ambassador to Romania Laurence Auer at his patriarchal residence on Monday, November 16, 2020. The Patriarch of Romania wished success to Mrs Laurence Auer at the beginning of her diplomatic mission in our country and appreciated Her Excellency’s rich diplomatic, cultural and educational experience. The French Ambassador…

Nov 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

PHOTO: Infographic of Innocence wants to “change the gloomy way of referring to December ’89”

On the green space next to the Kretzulescu Church in Bucharest, 1166 electric candles in the form of calla lilies “burned” every evening between November 8 and 15, in memory of the victims of the 1989 Revolution. The project called “Infographic of Innocence” was the idea of Funky Citizens Association. Designer Răzvan Pascu said that…

Nov 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu