Aurelian Iftimiu

Young Orthodox show solidarity with Finland’s Jewish community after anti-Semitic incidents

A group of Orthodox youth joined the Finnish community leaders who gathered at the gates of the Helsinki Synagogue to lay bouquets of flowers in a show of solidarity with Finland’s Jewish community, which has been subjected to a spike in anti-Semitic attacks this year. The action was prompted in part by a recent incident…

Nov 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop of Maramures: Intensify good deeds during Nativity Fast. God gave us, let us give in return!

‘We are during the Nativity Fast, a sacred time, during which the first Sunday gospel readings relate about the danger of wealth, about the fact that it is not enough to combine fasting with prayer,’ His Grace Bishop Justin of Maramures said during his homily last Sunday. ‘We need to do many good deeds, especially…

Nov 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Elder Arsenie Boca commemorated at Prislop Monastery on 30th anniversary of repose

Fr. Arsenie Boca, one of the most prominent Romanian elders of the 20th century, reposed in the Lord on November 28, 1989. It was recently announced that he is being considered for canonization by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. In the meantime, he was prayerfully commemorated Thursday at Prislop Monastery in Silvașu…

Nov 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Eugene Vodolazkin: Russia’s prize-winning novelist on main character: ‘Laurus brings together several lives of Saints’

Eugene Vodolazkin, one of today’s most famous Russian novelist, said that he was inspired by several lives of Saints when creating the main character of his best-selling novel Laurus. Eugene Vodolazkin and his wife Tatiana recently visited the Saint Nicholas –Tabacu church in Bucharest, the home of the Russian Orthodox Community in the capital of…

Nov 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

First Romanian Church in Africa to be consecrated this Saturday

A new church dedicated to Saint Andrew the First-Called who is considered the Protector of Romania will be consecrated this Saturday in Johannesburg, South Africa. The consecration ceremony will be officiated Nov. 30 by His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe. The event represents the crowning of the efforts of the Romanian community…

Nov 28, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: November 18 – 24, 2019

Orthodox lifestyle, luminous portraits and pictures taken at religious events throughout the world comprise this week’s selection of photos. Follow us on Twitter: @BasilicaNews We would gladly include one of your photos depicting Orthodox life in our weekly selection. All you have to do is send the picture(s) you have taken to our email address…

Nov 27, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate expresses solidarity with Albanians affected by earthquake

At least fifteen people have died and 600 people have been injured after a powerful earthquake hit Albania in the early hours of Tuesday, causing damage along the country’s Adriatic coastline and in the capital, Tirana. Several buildings collapsed, burying residents in the rubble. The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate released a statement on…

Nov 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania’s National Cathedral in figures, one year since its consecration

One year since the consecration of Romania’s National Cathedral we provide you with some figures to help you understand what this national project has meant until today. 110 million euros Because the number of press materials increased with the cathedral’s building process, and most of the time the deep significance of this national project is…

Nov 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Remembering the historic consecration ceremony of the National Cathedral in Bucharest

On Monday, November 25, 2019, we marked one year since the historic consecration of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral, the most important national project dedicated to Romania’s Great Union Centennial, a symbol of the unity of faith and of nation of Romanians. Although the Cathedral was consecrated as ‘shell and core,’ over 150,000 Romanians came…

Nov 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Academy launches facsimile edition of 18th-century Romanian Byzantine Music Book

The Library of the Romanian Academy launched a facsimile transcription of the manuscripts written in 1713 by Filothei sin Agai Jipei, a renowned Romanian protopsaltes. Filothei sin Agai Jipei the Athonite was a church chanter close to Saint Anthimos the Iberian, Metropolitan of Wallachia, and had a major contribution to the adapting of the Byzantine…

Nov 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel shares practical ways to prepare for Christmas

In a society that tends to distort the spiritual significance of the holidays by encouraging consumerism, Patriarch Daniel explained on Thursday how to better prepare for the feast of the Nativity of the Lord. “By more prayer, by reading the Holy Scriptures, by a more frequent Confession and Communion, and with acts of mercy. Let…

Nov 25, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu