Romanian Patriarchate

Remembering the historic consecration ceremony of the National Cathedral in Bucharest

On Monday, November 25, 2019, we marked one year since the historic consecration of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral, the most important national project dedicated to Romania’s Great Union Centennial, a symbol of the unity of faith and of nation of Romanians. Although the Cathedral was consecrated as ‘shell and core,’ over 150,000 Romanians came…

Nov 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Over 1,400 New Testaments to be sent to Romanian soldiers abroad by Christmas

The Romanian Patriarchate will give away 1,410 copies of the New Testament with Psalms to the Romanian soldiers abroad. The New Testaments will be distributed in the near future through the Religious Assistance Section of the Ministry of National Defence, Fr. Ciprian Ioniţă from the Social-Philanthropic Department of the Patriarchal Administration told the Basilica News…

Nov 25, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Nativity Fast Begins: Let us receive Christ in the cave of our souls

The Nativity Fast is one of four main fast periods throughout the ecclesiastical year. Beginning on November 15 and concluding on December 24, the Nativity Fast gives individuals the opportunity to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour in the Flesh on December 25. By abstaining from certain food and…

Nov 15, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Tens of pilgrims travel across Romania to attend celebrations of St John Chrysostom in Bucharest

For the sixth year in a row, tens of pilgrims travel across Romania from the northern parts of Maramures and Satu Mare to attend the celebrations of Saint John Chrysostom at the Chapel of the National Cathedral in Bucharest. Children and adults dressed in colourful folk costumes attended the all-night vigil and the Divine Liturgy…

Nov 14, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Church and Colectiv club. What the mainstream media didn’t tell you in 2015

Four years have passed since a deadly blaze killed 64 and wounded 147 at the Colectiv rock club in Bucharest in 2015. The mainstream media wrote many stories about a lack of involvement of the Church in helping the victims, but there are several important details omitted until today. Among the first to arrive at…

Oct 31, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church reviews 2019 activities during solemn session of Holy Synod

A solemn meeting of the Holy Synod was organized on Monday at the Patriarchal Palace in Bucharest during which the main activities carried out by the Romanian Orthodox Church related to this year’s solemn and commemorative topics were reconsidered. The meeting was chaired by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel at the Patriarch Teoctist Aula Magna. The…

Oct 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Dionysius Erhan officially declared a Saint during a ceremony held in Bucharest

Bishop Dionysius Erhan of Cetatea Alba and Ismail was canonized during a ceremony in Bucharest on Sunday attended by the Patriarch of Romania, members of the Holy Synod, state officials and a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Metropolis of Chisinau. In front of thousands of pilgrims in the Patriarchal Assembly’s Square, the Romanian bishop of…

Oct 27, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

All-night vigil for Saint Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica

On Friday evening, October 25, 2019, His Grace Bishop Timotei of Prahova officiated the All-night Vigil in honour of Saint Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica, at the outdoor altar of the Patriarchal Cathedral. Members of the Potirul Byzantine Music Choir of Radu Vodă Monastery gave the liturgical answers. In his sermon, His Grace Timotei of…

Oct 25, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

Assembly of Bishops in Muntenia Metropolis completes several liturgical texts for Romanian Saints

The Assembly of Bishops of the Holy Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobrudja met on Friday, October 25, at the Patriarchal Residence in Bucharest to complete several liturgical texts and akathists to Romanian Saints. The hierarchs drafted the services and akathist hymn to the Holy Martyrs Gordian, Macrobius, Elias, Zotikos, Lucian and Valerian, celebrated on September…

Oct 25, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Children and persons with disabilities have priority to venerate holy relics at Bucharest Patriarchal Cathedral

Families with children and persons with disabilities have priority in honouring the holy relics placed for veneration these days at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. The mentioned categories are asked to move near the baldachin and ask the gendarmes and the nearby organizers to facilitate access to venerate the holy relics. Every year, on the…

Oct 25, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Who are the “Guests” of Saint Demetrios the New?

The newest Romanian saint, a hierarch from Bessarabia who was glorified in 2018, and the “Saintie” who died for Christ at the age of 12, will soon be the “guests” of Saint Demetrios the New at the annual procession honouring the spiritual protector of Bucharest. The relics of Saint Dionysius, Bishop of Cetatea Alba and…

Oct 24, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu