Dioceses

Bishop of Sălaj highlights Christian leadership principles inspired by Saint Constantine the Great

“Those who listen to us do not seek perfect people, but sincere ones,” emphasized the Bishop of Sălaj last week during the patronal feast of the church in Șimleu Silvaniei. His Grace Bishop Benedict recalled that this year marks 1,700 years since the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, speaking about the gathering of bishops in…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian State Secretary visits Chișinău to strengthen ties with Metropolis of Bessarabia

Ciprian-Vasile Olinici, State Secretary for Religious Affairs in the Romanian Government, visited the Metropolitan Residence in Chișinău last Thursday, where he was received by the Metropolitan of Bessarabia. The discussions focused on the pastoral, social, and cultural activities of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, as well as on projects supported by the Romanian state. Father Gabriel-Andrei…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Teofan celebrates Iași Byzantine Music Festival as tribute to Saint Constantine’s legacy

His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, where he spoke about the Iași Byzantine Music Festival as a sign of gratitude for the legacy bestowed upon Moldavia through the labors of Saint Constantine the Great. “A few venues in the city, in Botoșani, and in Piatra…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Moldovan Parliament Speaker meets Metropolitan Petru to discuss religious heritage restoration and church-state cooperation

His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia met on Monday with Igor Grosu, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, at the Metropolitan Residence in Chișinău. Vladimir Bolea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Father Gabriel-Andrei Gherasă, Administrative Vicar of the Archdiocese of Chișinău, and Archdeacon Iurie Saganovschi, Secretary of…

May 19, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Restoration plans finalized for Romania’s easternmost church, first in Continental Europe touched by sunrise

The technical documentation for the restoration of the “Saints Nicholas and Alexander” Church in Sulina—known as “the first church in Continental Europe to be touched by the sun”—has been finalized, representatives of the institution announced. The church’s history is closely tied to Romania’s War of Independence. According to Agerpres, the church was built at the…

May 7, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Bessarabia Metropolis to mark Centennial with prayer and national thanksgiving in Chișinău

The Metropolis of Bessarabia will celebrate its centennial on Thursday with a special prayer service at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Chișinău. The Divine Liturgy will be presided over by Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia, with concelebrants including Bishop Antonie of Bălți, Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, and Assistant Bishop Nectarie…

May 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Petru’s message for Bessarabia Metropolis Centennial: A testimony to the triumph of truth

“Today, May 4, 2025, as we stand before the Holy Altars with gratitude to God and sacred emotion in our hearts, we commemorate with joy and national dignity the 100th anniversary of the elevation of the Archdiocese of Chișinău to the rank of Metropolis,” said Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia on Sunday. “This Centennial Year is…

May 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Relics of Saints Paisius and Cleopas emerge fragrant during exhumation in Romania, Bishop calls it a “sign of divine grace”

Assistant Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani, from the Archdiocese of Iași, emphasized that the day the relics of Saints Paisius (Olaru) and Cleopas (Ilie) of Sihăstria were uncovered “will remain for us not only a historic day but one deeply engraved in our souls—a day on which we all witnessed how God works on earth even…

Apr 29, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Relics of Saint Seraphim the Enduring exhumed in Romania ahead of local canonization ceremony

The relics of Saint Seraphim the Enduring of Sâmbăta de Sus were exhumed on Saturday during a religious ceremony. The exhumation service was celebrated by Metropolitan Laurențiu of Transylvania, together with Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita, Assistant Bishop Ilarion of Făgăraș (Archdiocese of Sibiu), and Assistant Bishop Sofian of Brașov (Archdiocese of Germany, Austria,…

Apr 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

President Maia Sandu meets Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia, highlights Church’s role in promoting peace and social support

His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia met with President Maia Sandu of the Republic of Moldova on Friday at the Presidential Palace in Chișinău. President Sandu emphasised the essential role played by the Romanian Orthodox Church, through the Metropolis of Bessarabia, in the lives of local communities, not only as a guardian of Christian values…

Apr 21, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest skete receives relics of Saint Matrona

The Darvari Skete in Bucharest has received a relic of Saint Matrona of Moscow, which was brought out for public veneration on Tuesday evening following the Bridegroom Matins. The relic was offered by a Russian metropolitan impressed by the Romanian community’s devotion to the saint, especially after seeing an image of her icon displayed prominently…

Apr 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu