International

Romanian Patriarchate representative joins Dormition celebrations in Jerusalem

Archimandrite Ioan Meiu, representative of the Romanian Patriarchate in the Holy Land and superior of the Romanian establishments in Jerusalem, Jericho and Jordan, attended the Divine Liturgy on Friday for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God according to the unrevised calendar. His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem celebrated the service…

Aug 31, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

International photography contest invites images of Orthodox life in Czechia and Slovakia

Photographers from around the world are being invited to capture Orthodox Christianity through the international competition “Colours of Orthodoxy. Czechia and Slovakia”. The competition runs from 15 August to 30 November and is free to enter for both professional and amateur photographers. Each participant may submit up to six photographs per category across the four…

Aug 25, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

St John of Rila honoured 1,080 years after his repose, Bulgarian Patriarch calls him ‘source of hope’

Saint John of Rila was commemorated on Wednesday at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria, marking 1,080 years since his repose in the Lord. On this occasion, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniil of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church highlighted the saint’s spiritual legacy, describing him as “a source of hope, spiritual help, an example and a guide for our…

Aug 21, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Jerusalem Patriarchate prepares for 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s Baptism in 2030

The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem discussed preparations for events marking the 2,000th anniversary of the Lord’s Baptism in 2030. The hierarchs, meeting under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, reviewed plans on Thursday for a series of events along the River Jordan highlighting the anniversary’s historical and spiritual…

Aug 19, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch marks 65 years since ordination: My entire journey has been ‘a life in dialogue’

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I marked the 65th anniversary of his ordination to the diaconate on Thursday, 13 August, on his native island of Imbros (Gökçeada). “My entire journey has been a life in dialogue,” His All-Holiness stressed. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch together with His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and…

Aug 18, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Jordan signs deals to develop Jesus’ baptism site ahead of 2,000th anniversary

The Jordanian government has signed four agreements to develop the area where Jesus Christ was baptised as part of preparations to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of the Lord in 2030. The agreements were signed on Wednesday at the Jordanian government headquarters in Amman following the first meeting of the National Committee for…

Aug 14, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Jerusalem Patriarch honours Romanian Saint John Jacob at Choziba Monastery

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem officiated a vigil service on Monday in honour of St John Jacob of Neamț at Choziba Monastery in Palestine. His Beatitude described the saint as “an offspring of Romania”. The service was celebrated by Patriarch Theophilos III together with His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, Secretary-General of the…

Aug 13, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch marks 1,400 years since first chanting of Akathist Hymn at Blachernae

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I prayed last Friday at the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople, marking 1,400 years since the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God was first chanted. According to tradition, the hymn dedicated to the Mother of God was first chanted at the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in 626, after the Byzantine…

Aug 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to visit Bulgaria for feast of St John of Rila

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will visit Bulgaria on 19 October for the feast of St John of Rila. The announcement was made on Friday during the Service of Supplication to the Mother of God held at the Church of St John of Rila of the Bulgarian community in Constantinople. The visit will take…

Aug 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest Declaration calls for greater international cooperation to protect Christian heritage

Participants in the World Congress of Syriac Studies and the International Conference on Arab Christian Studies adopted the “Bucharest Declaration” on Friday, recognising Romania’s contribution to the development of cultural diplomacy. According to a press release issued by the Levant Institute for Advanced Studies in the Culture of Peace, the declaration was adopted in the…

Aug 10, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Assyrian Patriarch Mar Awa III makes first visit to Romania for Syriac studies congress

His Holiness Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, made his first-ever visit to Romania from August 3 to 7. According to a press release from the Levant Institute, the visit took place in conjunction with the 14th World Congress for Syriac Studies and the 12th International Conference on Christian Arabic…

Aug 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu