International

Archimandrite Ambrose, Abbot of Zograf Monastery on Mount Athos, falls asleep in the Lord

Archimandrite Ambrose, Abbot of Zograf Monastery on Mount Athos, passed away on Monday at the age of 85, as announced by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Father Ambrose (Tyrolenkov) graduated from the Sofia Theological Seminary near Cherepish, Bulgaria. In 1973, he entered Bačkovo Monastery as a novice, and four years later, he was tonsured as a monk.…

Jan 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Five days of Church mourning in Albania: Funerals of Archbishop Anastasios to be held Thursday

The Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church convened on Saturday for an extraordinary session and declared a five-day period of mourning in memory of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, who passed away earlier that morning. The body of the late Archbishop will be brought to the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in…

Jan 27, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Anastasios of Albania reposes in the Lord aged 95

Archbishop Anastasios, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 95, according to a statement published on the official website of the Albanian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude had been hospitalized in Tirana on January 3 due to a viral infection and was later transferred to Athens. “The…

Jan 25, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Church representatives meet in Brussels to plan EU agenda

Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the EU met on Tuesday for the first time this year during a working session held at the Orthodox Ambiorix Center in Brussels. Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium chaired the meeting, which brought together representatives of the Romanian and Bulgarian Patriarchates and the Orthodox Church of Greece. The Romanian Orthodox…

Jan 16, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanians in Zagreb begin the New Year united in prayer during the Epiphany Season

During the Epiphany season, Romanians in Zagreb gathered in prayer to usher in the New Year at the city’s Romanian church. The liturgical program began last Saturday evening with the Great Vespers service and continued on Sunday through Tuesday with the Divine Liturgy. Following Sunday’s Liturgy, Fr. Nicolae Ceruță, the parish priest of the Romanian…

Jan 14, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Greek Metropolitan Iakovos welcomes collaboration with Ireland’s first Romanian Orthodox Bishop

His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos, the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Ireland (Ecumenical Patriarchate), has expressed openness to collaborating with His Grace Bishop Nectarie, who is set to be enthroned on Saturday in Dublin as the first Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Ireland and Iceland. “I wish him all the best for the new assignment!” conveyed Metropolitan Iakovos…

Jan 8, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Religious sites in Greece face rising attacks in 2023, report reveals

A 2023 report on incidents targeting religiously significant sites in Greece shows an increase in attacks compared to previous years. The report, published on the last day of 2024 by the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs under the Greek Ministry of Education, details cases involving not only places of worship but also other religious buildings…

Jan 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Community of Mount Athos announces new measures for pilgrim access

The Holy Community of Mount Athos has officially announced new measures regarding the access of pilgrims, which will come into effect from January 1, 2025. The decision was made due to the increasing number of visitors and to not disrupt monastic life and the prayer schedule. According to the new regulations, the maximum number of…

Dec 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Elia of Finland enthroned in historic ceremony in Helsinki

Archbishop Elia of Finland was enthroned last Sunday at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Helsinki during a historic ceremony attended by over 4,500 people. More than 500 were physically present, while approximately 4,000 joined online via live streaming. The event marked a significant milestone for the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Finland.…

Dec 19, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens: Christmas Message 2024 – “True peace flows from the cave in Bethlehem”

Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens conveyed a heartfelt Christmas message for 2024, emphasizing the significance of peace, solidarity, and spiritual life in the face of modern challenges. Drawing inspiration from the angelic hymn at the Nativity of the Lord—“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace”—the Archbishop highlighted that Christ’s Nativity marks the…

Dec 19, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil celebrates name day with warm wishes from religious and state leaders

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria celebrated his first name day as Patriarch on Wednesday, coinciding with the feast of St. Daniel the Stylite, following his election earlier this year. Hierarchs from the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church joined their Primate at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Kyriaki (Nedelya) in Sofia, where the…

Dec 12, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu