Anniversaries and commemorations

Patriarch Daniel’s 34th anniversary of episcopal ordination: PHOTOS

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel was ordained to the episcopate at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Timisoara 34 years ago. On July 22, 1951, in Dobreşti village, Bara commune, Timiş County, patriarch Daniel, the sixth head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was born as the third child of educator Alexie and his wife Stela Ciobotea. He pursued doctoral…

Mar 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

World Day of the Sick: Prayer for the suffering and their carers

World Day of the Sick is marked in institutions and communities from all over the world on February 11. The observance of this day aims to raise awareness in society of the need to support the sick and their carers. One way to support them is to pray for them. Spiritual and charitable events can…

Feb 11, 2024Ștefana Totorcea

World Cancer Day 2024: Recognising the power of working together

World Cancer Day is marked every 4 February as a global initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the largest and oldest international cancer organisation. The 2022-2024 theme is “Close the Care Gap”, with an emphasis this year on the power of working together. Every single one of us has the ability…

Feb 4, 2024Ștefana Totorcea

6 January, World Day of War Orphans: Children’s rights must be respected during armed conflict

The French charity SOS Enfants en Détresse initiated an international day dedicated to war orphans years ago. It aims to raise international public awareness of the fact that children’s rights must be respected during armed conflicts, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to UNICEF estimates, some 5,700 children…

Jan 6, 2024Ștefana Totorcea

60 years since St Nikephoros the Leper’s blessed repose. How he was included in the Romanian Church’s calendar

Thursday, January 4, 2024, marks the 60th anniversary of the blessed repose of Saint Nikephoros the Leper, a holy healer and miracle worker of our times. The Venerable Nikephoros was included in the calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church by the resolution of the Holy Synod of July 21, 2021, when the texts of the…

Jan 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Father Dumitru Stăniloae’s 120th birth anniversary

Today marks 120 years since the birth of Father Dumitru Stăniloae, one of the greatest Romanian theologians. Father Dumitru Stăniloae was proposed for canonization in 2025, when the Romanian Orthodox Church will celebrate 140 years of autocephaly and 100 years since obtaining the status of a patriarchate. A museum will be set up for the…

Nov 16, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

International Day for Preventing Exploitation of Environment in War: Every war is a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe

Monday marks the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, observed yearly on November 6. The environment has often been a victim of war. Water sources have been polluted, crops burned, forests cut down, soils poisoned and animals killed. Last year, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I mentioned the devastating…

Nov 6, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

International Day against Bullying at School: For healthy mind and better school results

In 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying to be observed on the first Thursday ov November. The goal was to increase social awareness on the fact that bullying in schools and cyberbullying is an infringement of children’s and adolescents’…

Nov 2, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: A chance to stand in solidarity with people living in poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, celebrated annually on October 17th, aims to promote understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and the wider society. This year’s theme, “Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all”, draws on first-hand testimonials showing that those trapped in extreme poverty often work long,…

Oct 17, 2023Iulian Dumitraşcu

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs…

Oct 10, 2023Iulian Dumitraşcu

30th anniversary of Father Dumitru Staniloae’s blessed repose

Thirty years ago, on the night of October 4 to 5, Father Dumitru Stăniloae reposed in the Lord. The famous Romanian theologian is on the path to sainthood because he lived a virtuous life and endured torment for professing his faith during the atheistic communist regime. Priest Dumitru Stăniloae and several confessors will most likely…

Oct 5, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu