Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel on Feast of St Demetrios the New: God works delicately through His Saints, but “cannot be mocked”!

During his sermon on Tuesday, Patriarch Daniel referred to two aspects of God’s presence and work in the world through Saint Demetrios the New: on the one hand, the delicacy and the miraculous help offered to the believers, on the other hand, the ‘bitter medicine’ administered to people for correction. The Patriarch of Romania highlighted…

Oct 28, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Varlaam reminds that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world

At the all-night vigil service held in honour of St. Demetrios the Myrrh-gusher, a great martyr of the 4th century, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploieşti spoke about the current persecutions against Christians and stressed that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. “Usually when we talk about persecution we refer to…

Oct 27, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Relics of Saint Demetrios the New placed for veneration outside Patriarchal Cathedral for three-day celebration

Marking the beginning of a three-day celebration in honour of Bucharest’s Patron Saint, four priests led by a bishop carried the relics of Saint Demetrios the New outside the patriarchal cathedral during a small procession on Sunday morning. The reliquary was placed in a baldachin next to the cathedral where pilgrims from Bucharest are expected…

Oct 25, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

For 5 years on social media: Five good reasons to follow us, one reason you should not

On October 20, 2015, the Basilica News Agency joined Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A bit late, indeed. But we made up for it. We have tens of reasons to invite you to join the Basilica.ro community. We’ve chosen only five reasons, hoping to be sufficient. If you’re not convinced, please write to us, wherever you…

Oct 22, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Calinic calls human trafficking the ‘handcuffing in which others throw the weak, killing the soul’

During his Sunday homily, the Archbishop of Suceava and Radauti referred to human trafficking, calling it ‘an outrageous sin that cries to heaven,’ adding that it leads to spiritual death. ‘Spiritual death comes too often from the handcuffing in which other people throw away the weak. They steal their identity, present and future. They rob…

Oct 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Athonite Chef Epiphanios of Mylopotamos: I would be happy to cook for the Patriarch of Romania (EN / GR)

In addition to many lay personalities, the Chef of Mount Athos has so far cooked for four Primates of Orthodox Autocephalous Churches including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, Antioch and Russia. In an exclusive interview with the Basilica News Agency marking the International Chefs’ Day (October 20), Father Epiphanios of the Mylopotamos…

Oct 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

European Anti-trafficking Day: The vulnerable man next to you is the priority here and now, says bishop Damaschin

European Day Against Trafficking in Human Beings is “a day of gratitude, awareness and memory,” His Grace Assistant Bishop Damaschin of Dorna said on Saturday in a message urging everyone to be more present, more attentive to what is happening to their neighbour. “We are all responsible,” he wrote. “The Church supports, in word, action…

Oct 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox students pray for power and strength to profess true faith at Fr Dumitru Staniloae’s tomb

Marking Father Dumitru Staniloae’s 27 year memorial anniversary, the members of the Romanian Orthodox Christian Students Association (ASCOR) gathered at Cernica Monastery ‘to pray for the rest of the soul of the reverend professor and his generation, but also to receive power and strength to profess the true faith and fulfil our role in society,…

Oct 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest Orthodox Students Association commemorates Fr Dumitru Staniloae at Cernica Monastery: Basilica Photos

Bucharest’s Romanian Orthodox Christian Students Association (ASCOR) prayerfully remembered father Dumitru Staniloae during a memorial service held at the great theologian’s tomb at Cernica Monastery on Saturday, October 10, 2020. Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene Follow us on Twitter: @BasilicaNews & @BasilicaPhotos

Oct 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

When images meet holiness: The holy relics of Saint Demetrios the New

The Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest keeps a very important gift of Romanians: the holy relics of Saint Demetrios the New, Protector of Bucharest. Received from General Pyotr Saltykov, the holy relics have been blessing Romanians for over 240 years. In 1786, the relics of St. Demetrios were placed in a wooden reliquary, clad in silver…

Oct 19, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Church and religious art represent true cultural landmarks: CultMin Gheorghiu

‘The Church and the religious art in Northeastern Romania represent true cultural landmarks that attract visitors from all over the world,’ Romania’s Minister of Culture Bogdan Gheorghiu wrote on Facebook, AGERPRES reports. The statement was made following a meeting of the minister with a delegation of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Radauti, held at the…

Oct 19, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu