Cultural

Byzantine monastery with Bible-quoting mosaic floor unearthed in southern Israel

Israeli researchers have discovered a Byzantine monastic complex over 1,500 years old in southern Israel. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, a large colourful mosaic was found on the floor of the ruins during excavations for the construction of a new neighbourhood. The mosaic features an Old Testament inscription from Deuteronomy 28:6: “Blessed are you when you…

Jan 17, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Petru highlights the Church’s role in preserving national identity on National Culture Day

On Wednesday, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia delivered a message to mark the National Culture Day, emphasizing that this celebration transcends geographical boundaries and unites both banks of the Prut River “in a single spirit of Romanian identity and Orthodox spirituality.” How the Church preserved national identity The Metropolitan of Bessarabia highlighted the pivotal…

Jan 16, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania recognized as a Top Travel Destination for 2025 by Vogue, CNN Travel and National Geographic

Romania has earned recognition as one of the best travel destinations for 2025, according to American journalists. The country was featured in Vogue’s Top 10 Travel Destinations list, published at the end of last year. Additionally, National Geographic included Romania among the Top 25 Must-Visit Destinations for this year. Romania in Vogue’s Top 10 Romania…

Jan 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Ancient Christian amulet discovered in Frankfurt rewrites regional history

Archaeologists in Frankfurt unearthed an object dating from 230-270 AD, approximately 50 years older than the first known Christian artifacts in the region. Archaeologists say this Christian evidence was found during excavations of a Roman grave in Germany from the 3rd century. A Discovery That Could Change History In Frankfurt, an amulet approximately 1,800 years…

Dec 20, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

New English edition of Fr Nicolae Steinhardt’s “Journal of Joy” published in New York

The Journal of Joy, the seminal work by Father Nicolae Steinhardt, has been released in a new English edition by St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press in New York. The translation was done by Paul Boboc, with revisions by Peter Andronache. Contributors to the revisions and explanatory notes include Bogdan G. Bucur, Nicolae Drăgușin, Brenda Mikitish, and…

Dec 20, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Portrait of Last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Paleologos discovered in Greek Monastery

A unique portrait of Constantine XI Paleologos, the last Byzantine emperor, was recently discovered in the Church of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in the Aegion region of Greece. According to archaeologists, the painting was created during the Byzantine emperor’s lifetime. The Greek Ministry of Culture announced that archaeologist Anastasia Koumousi uncovered the portrait…

Dec 19, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania and Republic of Moldova unite to celebrate 2025 as ‘Eminescu Year’

Next year marks 175 years since the birth of poet Mihai Eminescu. At the initiative of the Romanian Academy and the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, 2025 has been declared “Eminescu Year.” The leadership of the two academies decided to propose a series of cultural events and activities for 2025 to emphasize the significance of…

Dec 19, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ancient mosaic with first Jesus as God inscription on display at Washington Museum of the Bible

The “Megiddo Mosaic,” a mosaic discovered in ancient Megiddo, northern Israel, including the oldest known inscription proclaiming Jesus as God, is on exhibit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. (U.S.). The Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) states that the mosaic “adds much to our understanding of early Christian communities in the Holy Land.…

Nov 27, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Archaeologists discover Armenia’s oldest church, among the oldest in the world

Archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster (Germany) have uncovered the ruins of an ancient Christian church in the historic city of Artaxata. Since 2018, the Armenian-German research team has been exploring the Hellenistic metropolis of Artaxata in the Ararat Plain. In this latest discovery, the team excavated…

Oct 18, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

The Louvre to inaugurate a section dedicated to Eastern Christian Art in 2027

The Louvre Museum will inaugurate a new department dedicated to Eastern Christian art in 2027, the museum’s director, Laurence des Cars, announced during a visit to Athens last week. The museum’s ninth department will showcase nearly 20,000 Byzantine art objects of great religious and social significance and introduce visitors to the complexity of Byzantine civilization.…

Sep 27, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Father Nicolae Steinhardt’s “Journal of Joy” to be published in English by SVS Press

Father Nicolae Steinhardt’s seminal work, “The Journal of Joy,” will be published in its entirety in English by St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press in New York. The volume is currently available for pre-order. In his book, Steinhardt writes, “The test that never fails, the definitive criterion for drawing close to Christ is good cheer. Only a…

Sep 11, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu