Homilies

Live the life of Christ: Patriarch Daniel explains the mystagogical meaning of Holy Week

The Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem connects the Lenten period with the beginning of a mystagogic, mystical period, the Romanian Patriarch explained on Palm Sunday. “Until now, the period of forty days has been one of asceticism, hardships, and fasting,” His Beatitude said. Patriarch Daniel explained that “asceticism” was translated into…

Apr 12, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Forgiveness is a condition to make a good beginning for Lent

On Cheesefare Sunday, when the Church remembers Adam’s Expulsion from Paradise, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel attended the Divine Liturgy at St George Chapel of his Patriarchal Residence. In his sermon, His Beatitude explained why forgiveness is one of the conditions to make a good beginning for Lent. “By forgiving our neighbours, we crucify our selfishness…

Feb 28, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: The Creator comes to His creation / It is a celebration of a cosmic dimension

On the eve of the Theophany of the Lord, the Patriarch of Romania welcomed the clergy of the Patriarchal Cathedral at his patriarchal residence. His Beatitude spoke to them about the cosmic character of the celebration and about how important it is for the faithful to receive the priest on the feast’s eve. Patriarch Daniel…

Jan 13, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Offer Christ the gold of faith and good deeds, the frankincense of prayer and the myrrh of a pure life

If rich in spirit, every Christian, whether rich or poor in material terms, “can offer Christ more precious gifts than the gifts offered by the wise men of the East.” These are “the gold of faith and good deeds, the frankincense of fervent prayer and the myrrh of a pure life,” His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel…

Dec 29, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel on grace and hesychasm: St Gregory Palamas was a fruit of St Paul’s exhortation to pray unceasingly

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke on Thursday about St. Demetrius the New as a hesychast saint and outlined his connection with the believers on both banks of the Danube River. His Beatitude also referred to St. Gregory Palamas, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki, and described him as a fruit of the work of grace among the…

Oct 28, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: The Tabor Light, perceived by the Hesychasts, is sought by every Christian enlightened at baptism

The light that appeared on Mount Tabor at the Saviour’s Transfiguration “is the light that every Christian enlightened at baptism by water and the Holy Spirit seeks,” Patriarch Daniel said Saturday. Fruit of prayer and a symbol of hesychasm, this light “is given to those who pray much and live a Christian life of fasting,…

Aug 9, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

It is not enough to know the Creed. We must also pray for the unity of the Church, Patriarch Daniel says

On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, a remembrance that makes the connection between the feast of the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council taught and testified against the heresy of…

Jun 7, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel explains why, after the Resurrection, Christ never met those who hated or beat Him

At the Agape Vespers on the day of Holy Pascha, Patriarch Daniel noted that the Gospel shows us the crucified and risen Christ actively working and willing to meet those who believe in Him and love Him. “After His resurrection from the dead, Christ did not meet with those who hated Him or beat Him,…

Apr 27, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel points to Paschal service as icon of Universal Resurrection. We don’t hide the Cross

The Patriarch of Romania pointed to the Paschal vigil as an icon of the Universal Resurrection at the end of time and explained why this ceremony begins outside at night and why the Cross is displayed and not hidden since it was the object that caused Christ’s death. “The Resurrection of the Lord, or the…

Apr 27, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Honouring the Saviour with objects of great price must not be put in opposition to helping the poor

Speaking about the anointing of the Saviour’s feet with precious myrrh, Patriarch Daniel emphasised during his sermon on Palm Sunday that honouring God with objects or gestures of great price should not be put in opposition to helping the poor. The Patriarch of Romania recounted the Sunday Gospel passage, which recalls how the sister of…

Apr 18, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Jesus Christ overturns the logic of oppressive selfish power and brings the logic of humble beneficent ministry

On the 5th Sunday of Lent, Patriarch Daniel said that “the Saviour Jesus Christ overturns the logic of oppressive selfish power and brings the logic of humble beneficent or helpful ministry; not selfish dominion should be the rule for the disciples, but humble service.” “The way of thinking of the Saviour Christ is not of…

Apr 12, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu