Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: April 30 – May 5, 2019

Our selection of some of the most beautiful pictures taken around the Orthodox world during the Bright Week.

May 6, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Pope Francis meets with Holy Synod of Bulgarian Orthodox Church: ‘This meeting, which I have greatly desired’

Pope Francis held talks with Patriarch Neophyte and other members of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church at the Synodal Hall in Sofia, after his meeting with Bulgaria’s authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps in Sofia on Sunday, May 5. The lands bearing the inheritance of Sts Cyril and Methodius Patriarch Neophyte…

May 6, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Video of boy singing troparion to St Ephraim of Nea Makri goes viral on social media

A video of a young boy chanting a church hymn to Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri in front of the Saint’s icon has gone viral on social media. The clip that shows a boy kneeling in front of a large icon of Saint Ephraim seems to have been shot a few weeks ago in Crete.…

May 6, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Demetrios of America resigns

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios on Saturday officially tendered his resignation in writing during a meeting in Constantinople with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The 91-year-old Archbishop’s resignation will be considered by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at its next session on Thursday, May 9, when it is expected to discuss the matter of succession to…

May 4, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Bilateral meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Sawa of Poland

As part of his three-day visit to Poland, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with the Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church in Warsaw on Bright Friday, May 3, 2019. After joining the March of the Living, an event that takes place every year to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust, the Ecumenical Patriarch was welcomed at…

May 4, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch about Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp: This place will always be a symbol of radical evil

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Thursday joined the March of the Living, a 3-kilometer walk from the Auschwitz concentration camp to Birkenau in Poland, to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. The annual march coincides with Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah) and marks the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Participants in the…

May 4, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Priest from Bucharest Monastery offers Paschal Light to Romanians living in Dubai

A priest from Radu Voda Monastery in Bucharest was appointed by the Patriarch of Romania to travel to Dubai to officiate all Easter services for the Romanian Orthodox community there. During his mission from April 21 to May 1, 2019, the V. Rev. Protosyncellus Iachint Vardianu officiated the services in Romanian language at the Annunciation…

May 4, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

The Life-giving Spring is a celebration of joy. We are often ignorant of how great the gift of health is: Patriarch Daniel

‘The Life-Giving Spring is a celebration of joy,’ His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said on Bright Friday at Jercalai Monastery, ‘because the Mother of God, who is the living icon of the praying Church, becomes a healing spring for us through the grace bestowed upon her from Christ.’ Value the gift of health ‘We are often…

May 4, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel at Agape Vespers: Peace and joy are two gifts that bring gladness to human soul

During his homily at the Agape Vespers on Pascha Sunday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel reflected on the gifts offered by the Saviour Jesus Christ after his resurrection, saying that ‘peace and joy are two gifts that bring gladness to the human soul.’ ‘People who lack peace, who are always troubled and concerned, always feel unsafe,…

Apr 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Easter is the feast of forgiveness

At the Easter Vigil celebrated Saturday night, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel stressed that the Resurrection of Christ is a feast of forgiveness, recalling that before Christ breathed his last on the Cross He prayed for His enemies, for those who sentenced Him to death and for those who crucified Him. ‘This humble, crucified love became…

Apr 28, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Photo gallery: Thousands attend Paschal midnight office at Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest

Thousands of believers attended the Paschal midnight office led by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel at the Sts Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Bucharest on Saturday night, April 27-28, 2019. Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

Apr 28, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu