Aurelian Iftimiu

Filming to begin after Easter on TV series about life of Orthodox ascetic Saint Joseph the Hesychast

Filming for a new television series dedicated to the life of Saint Joseph the Hesychast is set to begin shortly after Easter. Pemptousia FM, the online radio station of Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, announced the news on Wednesday. Journalist Maria Giachnaki said the series would explore lesser-known aspects of the saint’s life. “It will…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox bishop in Italy commemorates WWI soldiers buried in Altamura

His Grace Bishop Siluan of Italy, on Saturday, March 28, officiated a memorial service for Romanian soldiers of the First World War buried in the cemetery of Altamura, in the province of Bari. The service, held at the Parish of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon in Altamura, was attended by Romania’s Consul General in Bari,…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew admitted to French Academy, warns on risks of AI to truth

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was admitted on Monday as an associate member of the French Academy, where he said the institution “places itself at the service of the principles of ethics and the common good.” The induction ceremony took place under the dome of the Académie Française, where His All-Holiness was formally received as an…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Church leaders, public figures in Republic of Moldova urge support for national charity drive

Bishops of the Metropolis of Bessarabia have called on the faithful to take part in the national collection campaign “Meal of Joy”, set to take place on Saturday in Chișinău and more than 40 localities across the Republic of Moldova. The collection marks the culmination of a campaign launched in March and aims to support…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Putna monastery holds memorial service for victims of Soviet-era Fântâna Albă massacre: They died facing the homeland

The monastic community of Putna Monastery held a memorial service on Wednesday in remembrance of the thousands of Northern Bukovinians massacred by Soviet forces at Fântâna Albă as they attempted to cross peacefully into Romania, seeking refuge in their motherland following the occupation of Northern Bukovina. “A tragedy, a sorrow, a sacrifice about which, for…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania confirms recovery of ancient gold artefacts stolen from Dutch museum

Romania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, has confirmed that key pieces of the Romanian national treasure—the Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and the Dacian gold bracelets—have been recovered by Dutch authorities and will be returned to Romania. In a statement published on social media, Țoiu said she had discussed the matter with her Dutch counterpart,…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Antioch Patriarchate urges Syrian authorities to act after attack on Christian city in Hama

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East has called on Syrian authorities to take action following an overnight attack on March 27–28 in the city of Al-Suqaylabiyah, in Syria’s western Hama region. Attack in Al-Suqaylabiyah The city was subjected to attacks and intimidation from surrounding areas, including acts of violence and vandalism…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Foreign Minister says Fântâna Albă victims ‘deserve remembrance’ on 85th anniversary of Massacre

Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said on Wednesday that the victims of the Fântâna Albă massacre “deserve remembrance,” marking 85 years since the tragedy. In a message posted on social media, the minister stressed that the events of April 1, 1941, remain an open wound in the collective conscience: “Not all wounds heal with the…

Apr 2, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Hundreds Commemorate Victims of Fântâna Albă Massacre in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi Region

Hundreds of Romanians from northern Bukovina gathered on Wednesday to commemorate the victims of the Fântâna Albă massacre at the site of the tragedy in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi region. The memorial service took place in the Varnița forest, where a monument stands in memory of the thousands of Romanians who, on April 1, 1941, following the…

Apr 2, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew says Akathist Hymn is ‘magnificent ode to freedom’ at Constantinople Conference

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said the Akathist Hymn is “a magnificent ode to freedom” at the opening of a conference marking 1,400 years since its first chanting. The event took place on Thursday, March 26, at the Marasli Patriarchal Urban School in Istanbul, Turkey, and was attended by hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, clergy, diplomatic…

Apr 2, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Two nuns tonsured at Orthodox Monastery in Scotland on Annunciation Feast

Two sisters from the community of Mull Monastery in Scotland received the monastic tonsure on the Eve of the Annunciation, according to announcements shared on the monastery’s Facebook page and by Archimandrite Serafim Aldea, abbot of the neighbouring monastery on the Isle of Iona. Sister Teodora received the name Mother Thaney, while Sister Maria became…

Apr 2, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu